Antimicrobial efficacy of chlorogenic acid against the mixture of Brochothrix thermosphacta and Pseudomonas lundensis and its application to vacuum-packaged chilled chicken

Abstract

The interaction between microorganisms is a major factor contributing to the deterioration of chilled chicken. Therefore, this study investigated the inhibitory mechanism of chlorogenic acid (CA) on Pseudomonas lundensis (PL) and Brochothrix thermosphacta (BT), and evaluated the preservative effect of CA treatment of chilled chickens inoculated with BT + PL in a vacuum-packed (3 °C–5 °C) condition. Results demonstrated that CA significantly inhibited the growth of BT and PL and disrupted their cell membrane. When 10 mg/mL CA was used to treat BT + PL for 10 min, the TVC of BT and PL decreased rapidly. CA was found to cause cell membrane damage and cell morphology deformation in BT and PL, as observed by scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy. This finding was manifested by an increase in cell surface zeta potential, a decrease in intracellular ATP content, and an increase in extracellular alkaline phosphatase, protein, and K⁺ content. CA effectively prolonged the shelf life of vacuum-packed chilled chicken. These merits were evidenced by the reduction in polypeptide content and TVB-N and the decrease in volatile odors such as nitrogen oxides, and inorganic sulfides in chilled chicken. These findings show how CA may be used in meat products as an antibacterial agent.