EFFECT OF EDIBLE COATING ON SHELF LIFE OF CHILLED CHICKEN FILLET

The study investigated the effectiveness of using Black cumin (Nigella sativa) seeds, chitosan, as well as wheat flour for coating chicken fillets, assessing satisfaction, sensory preferences, quality, shelf life, and growth curves of foodborne pathogens. Chilled chicken fillets were treated with 0.1% Black cumin oil and varying chitosan levels (0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3%), mixed with 20% wheat flour, and refrigerated for a total of fifteen days across four groups: a control fortified with only wheat flour, one with 0.1 % chitosan, another with 0.2% chitosan, and a final group with 0.3% chitosan. Chicken fillet samples were evaluated for an array of quality factors (pH, WHC content, pickup, cooking loss, color, and tenderness). The CW0.3 group had considerably higher quality metrics (P<0.05) than other scales. It was the most stable treatment, lasting 12 days compared to the control's 9 days. CW0.3 fortification produced fully tender chicken with a bright red color after 15 days. The highest value of malondialdehyde (MDA) corresponds to an increase in chitosan concentration compared to the other treatments. Chitosan wheat (CW) treatments reduced TBC below 6 logs, coliform count below 4 logs, and Staphylococcus count below 2 logs after 15 days. Chitosan wheat (CW 0.3) eliminated Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella enterica. Chitosan wheat (CW 0.3) effectively preserved chilled chicken fillets for 12 days, acting as an antimicrobial and antioxidant coating, enhancing safety and quality with Black cumin oil and wheat flour.