Design of an Active Edible Coating Based on Sodium Caseinate, Chitosan and Oregano Essential Oil Reinforced with Silica Particles and Its Application on Panela Cheese

Active edible films and coatings incorporating antimicrobial agents such as essential oils are studied to improve the shelf-life of fresh foods. The aim of this work was to study a mixture of sodium caseinate-chitosan (SC:CH), added with mesoporous silica nanoparticles filled with oregano essential oil (MSN-OEO), to produce an active edible coating for Panela cheese and to evaluate its properties during refrigerated storage for 15 days. The OEO was extracted by hydrodistillation and was incorporated into the MSN. Films based on SC:CH of 4:1 and 8:1 ratios with and without MSN-OEO were produced and the mechanical, barrier, physicochemical and microbiological properties of the films were evaluated. The SC:CH 8:1 ratio (w/w) with MSN-OEO showed reduced mean particle size (764.8 +/- 23.3 nm), and a stable solution (zeta potential = 29.9 +/- 1.1 mV). The thickness and solubility were influenced by the incorporation of MSN-OEO making it thinner and less soluble. Panela cheese samples were coated by the spray method using the SC:CH 8:1 containing MSN-OEO film forming solution. The final pH of the control cheese was 0.5 units lower than that of the coated cheese, whereas final moisture loss of the control cheese was 4.2 times that of the coated cheese. The mesophilic aerobic bacteria and of molds and yeasts populations achieved a reduction of about 2 Log(10) UFC/g after 15 days of storage. Due to microbial growth delay, and little moisture loss, this active coating may improve the quality and safety of Panela cheese.