Improvement on the Muscle Protein Quality of Vacuum Packaged Salmon (Salmo salar) Fillets by Active Absorbent Pad Containing Oregano Essential Oil During Cold Storage

Abstract

The effect of sustained-release pad with oregano essential oil on the shelf life and muscle protein degradation and oxidation of vacuum-packaged salmon was studied at 4°C. The oregano essential oil was embedded by β-cyclodextrin, and then incorporated with nonwovens fibril pad to preserve salmon fillets. It showed that the optimal ratio of oregano essential oil to β-cyclodextrin was 9:91. Its encapsulation efficiency reached 90.70%, the loading content reached 13.53%, and the cumulative release was 42.37% after 72 h, indicating a good sustained-release effect. The complex had a remarkable inhibition on Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Shewanella putrefaciens, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The sustained-release pad with antibacterial complex also showed antibacterial effect on salmon. Besides, it could inhibit the muscle protein degradation and oxidation due to the antioxidant properties of oregano essential oil. The sustained-release pad had higher efficiency in inhibiting bacterial growth, protein degradation, and oxidation of salmon than pure essential oil, showing great potential for application.