Electrospun Polyvinyl Alcohol/Chitosan Nanofibers Film Loaded With Artemisia Essential Oil: A Strategy for Extending Shelf Life and Enhancing Quality of Minced Beef

ABSTRACT Meat, due to its high‐water activity and nutrient‐rich composition, is highly prone to microbial spoilage, especially after mincing, which accelerates contamination and reduces shelf life. This study aimed to develop an active packaging film by incorporating Artemisia essential oil (AEO) into electrospun chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol (CH + PVA) nanofibers films to extend the shelf life and preserve the quality of minced beef. Electrospinning was employed to fabricate CH + PVA nanofiber films, with and without AEO, and their morphology was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Minced beef samples were packaged in control, CH + PVA, and CH + PVA + AEO films and stored at 4°C for 18 days. The CH + PVA + AEO film significantly reduced ( p < 0.05) total viable count (56.91%), psychrotrophic count (34.53%), pH (53.85%), peroxide value (PV) (40.91%), total volatile nitrogen bases (TVB‐N) (28.58%), thiobarbituric acid (TBA) (31.46%), and free fatty acids (FFA) (54.66%) compared with the control. Moreover, sensory evaluation confirmed that CH + PVA + AEO film preserved color, texture, odor, and overall acceptability, extending acceptability to 12 days ( p < 0.05). In conclusion, the incorporation of AEO into electrospun CH + PVA nanofiber film provides a sustainable and effective strategy for developing active packaging film, offering a natural alternative to synthetic preservatives for improving the shelf life and quality of minced beef.