Evaluation of Alginate/Collagen Edible Coatings with Betanin and Cumin to Improve the Shelf Life of Lighvan Cheese

Lighvan cheese is one of the most popular and consumed cheese in Iran. The aim of this study was to use coated alginates-collagen containing essential oils of cumin and betanin to improve the quality and shelf life of the Lighvan cheese.  Initially, film samples containing different levels of cumin essential oils (4, 6, and 8%) and betanin (4 and 6%) were prepared, and then the physicochemical and antioxidant properties of all films were investigated. The physicochemical, antioxidant, and sensory properties of the samples of the Lighvan cheese were evaluated during 21day storage period. The results of experiments on edible films showed that the combination of essential oils of cumin and betanin into edible films increased the thickness, moisture content, water-solubility, and permeability to steam (p <0.05). The results indicated that the coated cheese samples containing cumin and betanin have effective antioxidant activity. Sensory evaluation results showed that the coated cheese samples had no negative effect on organoleptic acceptance (p <0.05). This study indicated that the addition of cumin essential oil and betanin to the alginate-collagen film had a positive effect on increasing the shelf-life of the Lighvan cheese. The selected sample contained essential oils of cumin and betanin at the concentrations of 8 and 6% respectively.