Background: The growing demand for sustainable food preservation methods has led to the exploration of natural edible coatings aimed at extending the shelf life of perishable products.
Objectives: Our study was carried out to develop an active coating incorporating antimicrobial agent to further enhance food safety and longevity.
Methods: To investigate the effectiveness of an edible coating derived from Qodume Shirazi gum (Alyssum homolocarpum) infused with various concentrations of turmeric essential oil (TEO)—specifically 0%, 1%, 1.5%, and 2% (w/v)—on the shelf life of Nile tilapia fillets under refrigerated conditions (4±1 °C), chemical and microbial assessments were conducted on days 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28. Sensory evaluation was performed using the 5-point hedonic method.
Results: The coatings at 1.5% and 2% significantly reduced microbial growth compared to the control samples, keeping total viable count (TVC) and total psychrotrophic count (TPC) within acceptable limits throughout the study period. Additionally, the treated fillets showed a slower increase in pH, total volatile nitrogen (TVN), peroxide value (PV), and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) values than the untreated fillets. Sensory analysis confirmed these findings, with the 1.5% TEO coating receiving the highest scores for taste, appearance, and overall acceptability up to day 14. Notably, the shelf life of the coated tilapia was extended by approximately five days compared to the controls.
Conclusion: These results highlight the potential of natural edible coatings in food preservation, especially for aquatic products that spoil quickly. Incorporating TEO not only boosts antimicrobial activity but also adds value through its health benefits.