Application of oil-in-water nanoemulsions based on grape and cinnamon essential oils for shelf-life extension of chilled flathead mullet fillets

BACKGROUND The effect of nanoemulsions prepared with grape seed and cinnamon essential oils on the shelf-life of flathead mullet (Mugil cephalus) fillets was evaluated by determining physicochemical (pH, free fatty acids, peroxide value, total volatile base nitrogen (TVB-N), and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARs)), sensory and microbiological (mesophilic aerobic bacteria, total psychrophilic bacteria, and Enterobacteriaceae counts) properties during 14 day storage at 2 degrees C. RESULTS The nanoemulsions showed good stability and low average droplet size. The results indicated that nanoemulsion treatments significantly prolonged the shelf-life of the fillets. Treatment inhibited increases in pH and TVB-N, and retarded lipid oxidation and hydrolysis. Sensory assessment revealed that treatment induced shelf-life extension from 10 to 14 days, compared with controls. Microbiological analyses showed nanoemulsion treatment caused shelf-life extension from 10 to 12 days with reduction of microbiological contamination by up to 1 log cfu g(-1) in mesophilic and 1.5 log cfu g(-1) in psychrotrophic bacteria. CONCLUSION Considering the results, grape seed and cinnamon essential oil nanoemulsions could be considered as novel antimicrobial and antioxidant materials for shelf-life extension of flathead mullet fillets during cold storage. (c) 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.