Synergistic Preservation of Mutton Using a Biodegradable Edible Coating Incorporating Lallemantia iberica Mucilage and Cell-Free Supernatant of Lactobacillus helveticus C7303.

In this study, a biodegradable coating was formulated using Lallemantia iberica seed mucilage (LISM) and varying concentrations of cell-free supernatant (CFS) (1% and 2%) obtained from the lactic acid bacterium Lactobacillus helveticus C7303. Mutton was subsequently coated via the dipping method. The primary objective was to evaluate the coating's efficacy in extending the storage duration and to monitor microbial, physicochemical, and sensory changes in the coated meat, applying a significance threshold of p < 0.05. Evaluation of total viable counts, psychrotrophic bacteria, fungi, and coliforms revealed that while microbial numbers generally increased over storage time across all samples, they were significantly reduced in the coated mutton as the concentration of the L. helveticus C7303 CFS was increased. Compared to uncoated controls, the coated samples exhibited the lowest levels of pH, peroxide value, thiobarbituric acid (TBA), and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN), indicating enhanced oxidative and proteolytic stability. Furthermore, the coating substantially prevented the deterioration of moisture and hardness. Sensory and color analyses confirmed that mutton treated with the highest concentration of the CFS showed the highest overall acceptability. This novel biodegradable coating, utilizing L. iberica mucilage and L. helveticus C7303 CFS, successfully preserved meat quality and extended shelf life at 4°C by inhibiting oxygen exchange and curbing the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms.