A biodegradable active coating from Lepidium perfoliatum mucilage and probiotic cell-free supernatant obtained from Lacticaseibacillus casei HUMB07381 for beef preservation

This study developed a biodegradable active coating based on Lepidium perfoliatum mucilage (MLP) incorporated with cell-free supernatant (CFS) from Lacticaseibacillus casei strain HUMB07381 to improve the shelf life and quality of refrigerated beef. Fresh beef samples were divided into four treatments: uncoated control, MLP, MLP + 1% CFS, and MLP + 2% CFS. Samples were coated by immersion and stored at 4°C for 10 days. Microbial, physicochemical, textural, color, and sensory properties were evaluated throughout storage. Microbial populations increased in all treatments during storage; however, coatings containing CFS significantly inhibited microbial growth in a concentration-dependent manner. After 10 days, total viable counts (TVC) decreased from 9.0 log CFU/g in the control to 5.8 log CFU/g in the MLP + 2% CFS treatment. Similarly, psychrotrophic bacteria (PTC), yeasts and molds, and coliform counts were substantially reduced in coated samples, with the greatest inhibition observed for MLP + 2% CFS. Physicochemical analyses showed that incorporation of CFS improved oxidative and microbial stability. After 10 days, the MLP + 2% CFS treatment exhibited the lowest pH (5.86), peroxide value (PV) (5.2 meq O₂/kg), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) value (0.7 mg MDA/kg), and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) content (15.8 mg/100 g), compared with the control sample. In addition, coated samples experienced lower moisture loss and better texture retention. The MLP + 2% CFS coating achieved the highest moisture retention (68.8%) and hardness (65.2 N). Color measurements and sensory evaluation demonstrated that MLP/CFS coatings effectively preserved the visual and organoleptic quality of beef during refrigerated storage. Samples treated with MLP + 2% CFS maintained superior color stability and received the highest scores for odor, color, texture, and overall acceptability. After 10 days, the corresponding L*, a*, and b* values were 38.0, 9.2, and 8.6, respectively. Overall, the results indicate that biodegradable MLP coatings enriched with probiotic-derived CFS, particularly at 2%, effectively enhance microbial safety, retard oxidation, preserve texture and sensory quality, and extend the refrigerated shelf life of beef, highlighting their potential as an eco-friendly preservation strategy for meat products.