A composite edible coating with green tea extract for controlling oil and chemical contaminants in deep frying meat

Fried foods, valued for their taste and portability, are popular among consumers in our modern, fast-paced, high-pressure lifestyles but raise safety and nutritional concerns, especially with fried meats. These issues have driven increasing interest in the development of natural edible coating films for functional protection. This study developed an edible coating by integrating green tea extract (GTE) into a soy protein isolate (SPI) - carboxymethyl-cellulose (CMC). It can enhance fried meat safety by controlling frying process pollutants and extending shelf life through its antioxidant effects on fat and protein. The physical and functional properties of single (SPI or CMC), hybrid (SPI-CMC), and ternary composite (SPI-CMC-GTE, SCT) edible coating solutions were compared. SPI-CMC showed improved thermal stability due to enhanced hydrophobicity but suffered from poor dispersion due to increased particle size. The infrared, endogenous fluorescence spectrograms, and other physical parameter analysis indicated the presence of interactions between the phenolic active components of GTE and the protein-polysaccharides of SPI-CMC. Additionally, GTE incorporation altered the color of the edible coating solutions and improved the antioxidant activity. Applied to fried meat, coating with SCT demonstrated strong antioxidant activity, thermal stability, and homogeneity. These features help control oil absorption and reduce harmful substances, improving the quality and safety of deep-fried foods.