LAUSR

Abstract The objective of this research was to investigate a combination of nisin/gallic acid/chitosan coating and high-oxygen modified atmosphere packaging (HO MAP, 80% O2 + 20% CO2) on the preservation of fresh pork loin during cold storage (2 ± 1 °C, 20 days). Fresh pork loins were coated with 2% chitosan solution alone (CHI), 0.2% gallic acid in 2% chitosan (CHI/GA), 0.2% nisin in 2% chitosan (CHI/N), and 0.2% nisin, 0.2% gallic acid in 2% chitosan (CHI/N/GA) solutions. Pork samples were analysed for pH, colour (L*, a*, b*), free thiol group, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) and total viable count (TVC). Results showed that, compared with other coating solutions, CHI/N/GA coating had better colour protection, lower protein and lipid oxidation, and synergistic bactericidal effect, as evidenced by higher a* value (6.85) and lower hue angle (67.95), the highest free thiol group content (47.07 nmol thiol/mg protein), lowest TBARS value (0.28 mg MDA/kg) and lowest TVC (4.67 log cfu/g). This study suggests that combination of nisin/gallic acid/chitosan coating with HO MAP could be applied as a hurdle packaging technology to preserve fresh pork.