The present study aimed to characterize the physical properties of nanoemulsion-based sodium alginate edible coatings containing myrtle (Myrtus communis L.) essential oil and to determine its inhibitory effects on Listeria monocytogenes in fresh Kasar cheese during the 24-day storage at 4 °C. The GC-MS analysis showed that the main components of myrtle essential oil were 1,8-cineol (38.64%), α-pinene (30.19%), d-limonene (7.51%), and α-ocimene (6.57%). Myrtle essential oil showed an inhibitory effect on all tested L. monocytogenes strains and this effect significantly increased after ultrasonication. Minimum inhibitory and minimum bactericidal concentrations of myrtle essential oil nanoemulsion were found to be 4.00–4.67 mg/mL and 5.00–7.33 mg/mL, respectively. The antibacterial activity of myrtle essential oil nanoemulsion against L. monocytogenes was confirmed by the membrane integrity and FESEM analyses. Nanoemulsion coatings containing myrtle essential oil showed antibacterial activity against L. monocytogenes with no adverse effects on the physicochemical properties of cheese samples. Nanoemulsion coatings containing 1.0% and 2.0% myrtle essential oil reduced the L. monocytogenes population in cheese during the storage by 0.42 and 0.88 log cfu/g, respectively. These results revealed that nanoemulsion-based alginate edible coatings containing myrtle essential oil have the potential to be used as a natural food preservative.

This study investigated whether the use of fermented milk with added dietary fibre in ice cream production positively affected quality characteristics, especially viability, during a shelf life of 90 days at −25 °C. For this purpose, fermented milk was prepared with cultures (yoghurt and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus) and dietary fibre (wheat fibre and inulin). In addition to the viable cell count, some related quality characteristics, such as the sensory, physical, chemical, and thermal properties, and energy content were also examined. Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus in all yoghurt ice creams and L. rhamnosus in ice cream with wheat fibre had the highest viability for 90 days, up to 95.95%. The best scores regarding “general acceptability” belonged to the ice cream with L. rhamnosus and inulin, with a score of 7.81 out of 9. The dietary fibre decreased overrun from around 23% to 14–18%, which was positive for the viability of the cultures. The cultures and dietary fibre decreased the melting temperature down to −1.15 °C. The caloric value of the ice creams (166–168 kcal/100 g) was lower than that of standard ice cream. Probiotic ice cream production with dietary fibre and a single L. rhamnosus culture may be preferred in terms of sensory properties, cell viability, and economic aspects.

Bacillus clausii, an antagonistic bacterium, was utilized to develop antimicrobial edible films based on whey protein concentrate. This study employed a Taguchi test (3 × 3) to evaluate the impact of temperature, pH, and protein concentration on film properties. Optimal growth of B. clausii occurred at 6% (w/v) protein and pH 9.5. The resulting film solutions demonstrated antimicrobial activity, exhibiting inhibition zones against Aspergillus niger, Penicillium expansum, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli, with inhibition zone diameters of 13.68 mm, 16.88 mm, 11.38 mm, and 17.15 mm, respectively. The optimum antimicrobial property of the films was observed when the incubation condition of pH 8.5, 35 °C and 6% (w/v) protein. Survival rates of B. clausii in the dry film were 86% at 4 °C and 87% at 25 °C over 14 days. Additionally, the highest tensile strength (TS) and percent elongation at break (%E) for the films were recorded at 3.14 MPa (pH = 9.5, 37 °C, 8% protein) and 27.63% (pH = 9.0, 35 °C, 10% protein), respectively. These findings demonstrate the potential for developing effective antimicrobial films through 24-h fermentation of B. clausii in the film solution. This antimicrobial film shows potential for use in wound dressings or food packaging applications.