In this research work, the effects of myrtle essential oil (MEO) and Caucasian whortleberry extract (CWE) as natural additives were investigated on mechanical, physico-mechanical and antimicrobial properties of gellan/polyvinyl alcohol (G/PVA) film. Then, optimal blend active films were used for the wrapping of turkey breast meat stored at low temperature (4 ± 1 °C) for 15 days and chemical and sensory properties of wrapped meats were evaluated. The addition of MEO and CWE decreased tensile strength and increased the strain at the break of the films (p ≤ 0.05). Additionally, with increasing the amount of MEO and CWE, the permeability to water vapor (WVP) and the moisture content (MC) of the films decreased (p ≤ 0.05). MIC test showed that MEO and CWE were effective against S. aureus, E. coli, S. typhimurium, and P. fluorescens. at the concentrations of 5-6 and 15-17 mg/mL, respectively. Different microbiological, chemical, and sensory tests indicated that active films significantly enhanced the shelf life of turkey breast meat (p ≤ 0.05). Therefore, based on our finding in this study, the use of these active and biodegradable packagings can be effective and useful for protecting the microbial and sensory quality of turkey breast meat.
Keywords: active films; antimicrobial properties; physic-mechanical properties; turkey breast meat.