Antimicrobial active packaging for meat using thyme essential oil (Thymus vulgaris) encapsulated on zein ultrafine fibers membranes

The search for food products with fewer synthetic preservatives has grown, and industries are looking for strategies to extend the food shelf life safely. Essential oils are an alternative to control microbial growth in foods. This study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of thyme (Thymus vulgaris) essential oil encapsulated into zein fibers for application in meat trays as active packaging. The fibers were produced by electrospinning and evaluated by morphology, size distribution, contact angle, absorption profile in FT-IR spectra, and antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. The fibers presented uniform and continuous morphology, with a diameter variation between 468 and 830 nm. The fibers showed hydrophobic capacity, with water contact angle ranging from 134 to 150 degrees, and high antioxidant capacity (98% of inhibition by the ABTS method). The membranes with thyme essential oil inhibited the growth of thermotolerant coliforms (45 degrees C), Escherichia coli, and coagulase-positive Staphylococcus in meat on trays under refrigera-tion (temperature of 4.5 degrees C). Therefore, the fibers membranes showed promising characteristics for developing active packaging for meat products.