Development of active packaging coating with Lallemantia iberica mucilage and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus SMHA30 postbiotics: Preparation, characterization, application in the preservation of beef slices, and modelling

Edible coatings and cell-free supernatant (CFS) of probiotic bacteria offer a promising solution for preserving and packaging meat. This study investigated the effects of edible coatings made from mucilage of Lallemantia iberica , enhanced with 10 g/L and 20 g/L concentrations of CFS from Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus strain SMHA30, on the physicochemical, microbial, and sensory qualities of refrigerated beef slices. The coatings, particularly the combination of mucilage and 20 g/L CFS, significantly extended the shelf life of the meat by reducing the counts of total and psychrotrophic bacteria. The coating also effectively minimized lipid oxidation, as determined by peroxide values and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances tests, and prevented increases in total volatile base nitrogen levels. While all samples experienced moisture loss during storage, the coating helped retain moisture. The uncoated beef had a hardness of 60.73 N, while the mucilage and 20 g/L CFS samples exhibited greater hardness at 62.93 N. Additionally, the coatings preserved the color and sensory properties of the meat. The study also utilized a Support Vector Regression (SVR) model to predict twelve laboratory output parameters, achieving acceptable accuracy, with Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) ranging from 0.28 % for moisture to 6.09 % for coliforms. Overall, mucilage/CFS coatings provide excellent protection against meat spoilage. • The Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus -loaded coating preserved the physicochemical and microbial properties of beef slices. • The edible coating enhanced the sensory appeal of beef slices during cold storage. • ANN effectively demonstrated the correlation between the treatments applied to the beef slices.