Increasing the Microbial and Oxidative Stability of Buffalo Meat using a Bioactive Edible Coating Based on Cordia myxa Fruit Mucilage and Citrus sinensis Eessential Oil

In this study, Citrus sinensis essential oil was extracted by hydrodistillation method and the results of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry showed that the oil is rich in limonene (87.86%). Total phenol and flavonoid contents of the CSEO were 125.41 mg GAE/g and 32.50 mg QE/g, respectively. Its antioxidant activity was found to be 39.75 and 52.43%, based on DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity, respectively. The presence of limonene in the CSEO was confirmed by furrier transform infrared spectroscopy. The CSEO was then combined with Cordia myxa fruit mucilage to produce an edible coating in order to improve the microbial and oxidative stability of buffalo meat during storage (10 days, 4 °C). Results showed that the growth of total viable count, psychrotrophic bacteria, E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and fungi were significantly inhibited in the buffalo meat samples coated with CMFM+CSEO. The CMFM+CSEO edible coating was also more effective in inhibiting the oxidation progression and moisture and texture losses, in comparison with control sample. According to the sensory evaluation results, the CMFM+CSEO edible coating increased the shelf-life of buffalo meat samples; the samples were acceptable even at the end of storage period (10 days), but the control sample was unacceptable after 7 days of storage. Therefore, the edible coating based on Cordia myxa fruit mucilage and Citrus sinensis essential oil could be used as a natural preservative to increase the shelf-life of buffalo meat and other meat products.