This study is aimed to develop a novel edible coating based on Plantago major seed mucilage (PMSM) and Citrus limon essential oil (CLEO) to increase the shelf‐life of buffalo meat during cold storage. The CLEO was firstly isolated by the hydrodistillation method, and it contained mainly limonene (40.5%) and carene (15.4%) with remarkable antioxidant activity (55.7%, 63.8%, and 51.85% based on the DPPH‐radical scavenging, ABTS‐radical scavenging, and carotene‐linoleic acid bleaching tests, respectively) and antibacterial effect against some pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms. The CLEO (0%, 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, and 2%) was then incorporated into PMSM solution to develop a novel CLEO‐loaded PMSM edible coating for improving the shelf‐life of buffalo meat. The edible coating was able to significantly reduce the progression of lipid oxidation (peroxide value) and microbial growth (total viable count, psychrotrophic bacteria, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and fungi) in buffalo meat during storage period of 10 days at 4°C in comparison with the control (noncoated sample). The meat hardness and sensory properties (i.e., odor, color, appearance, texture, and overall acceptability) were also maintained better upon edible coating applications. Based on the results, the CLEO‐rich PMSM edible coating could be applied as a new and effective preservative to improve the stability of meat products to lipid oxidation and microbial spoilage.

The objective of this study was to investigate probiotic, antimicrobial, technological and safety properties of lactobacillus strains isolated from local Iranian cheese made from raw milk. Six different samples were prepared, after serial dilution, culture was performed on MRS culture medium. The gram‐positive and catalase‐negative lactobacillus strains were subjected to grouping and identifying using biochemical tests, carbohydrates fermentation profiles, and 16S rDNA analysis. The results of sequence analysis showed the Lactobacillus spp. belonged to Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus plantarum, and Lactobacillus casei. After 3 hr incubation at pH=2, 3–6 log units of strains decreased which Lactobacillus acidophilus (B14) and Lactobacillus brevis (B2) showed highest resistance to low pH as well as simulated GIT juices. The highest and lowest hydrophobicity degree was belonged to L. acidophilus (B14) (65.9%) and L. casei (B22) (25.6%), respectively. Also, the highest auto‐aggregation and coaggregation were observed in L. acidophilus (B14) (51.3%) and L. plantarum (B20) (43.6%). The adhered percentage of strains varied from 2.5% to 14.6%. L. plantarum (B20) showed highest proteolytic activity followed by L. acidophilus (B14). Also, the highest autolytic activity belonged to L. acidophilus (B14). All of the strains showed low acidifying potential, except for L. acidophilus (B17) which decreased 2.05 unit of pH after 24 hr. The isolates did not show lipolytic activity as well as biogenic amines production (except L. brevis B3). All of the strains were sensitive to chloramphenicol and erythromycin except L. acidophilus (B15) and L. casei (B22). All strains showed no hemolysis activity which make them safe for consumption. Based on the obtained results, L. acidophilus (B14) presented the best probiotic and technological characteristics and is proposed for using as coculture in the dairy industrial.

Today, food consumers prefer to use the foods that contain natural preservatives. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Qodume Shirazi seed mucilage (QSSM) and lavender essential oil (LO) on the preservation of ostrich meat during cold storage. The chemical compounds of LO were identified through gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The ostrich meat samples were coated with the mucilage containing the essential oil at concentrations of 0%, 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, and 2%, v/v. The control and the coated ostrich meat samples were kept at 4°C and analyzed for microbiological (total viable count, psychrotrophic count,Escherichia coli,Staphylococcus aureus, coliforms, and fungi), physicochemical (moisture content, pH, texture, and color parameters), and sensorial (odor, color, and total acceptance) characteristics during 9 days of storage. GC/MS identified 12 compounds in the essential oil, among which linalool was the major one (43.3%). The lightness (L* value) and hardness of all the ostrich meat samples were reduced during the storage. From a microbiological point of view, the cold storage duration for the control and the coated sample without the essential oil was only 3 days, while for coated samples containing 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, and 2% essential oil, it was 3, 3, 6, and 9 days, respectively. The coated ostrich meat containing 2% LO had an appropriate quality with an expanded shelf life. The results showed that neural network with 10 neurons in the hidden layer had the lowest mean squared error and mean absolute error and the highest correlation coefficient for predicting the quality and microbial properties of the coated meat samples during storage.