Development of edible nanocomposite films incorporating cinnamaldehyde-carvacrol for extending the shelf life of ready-to-eat steaks

To counteract the short shelf-life of ready-to-eat (RTE) steak imposed by microbial spoilage, we fabricated an antibacterial edible film (MEONF) by dispersing mesoporous-silica MCM-41 nanoparticles loaded with cinnamaldehyde/carvacrol essential oil (CCO) in a gelatin-highland-barley β-glucan matrix. The mesopores of MCM-41 imparted temperature-responsive release of CCO: 42.8 % within 30 d at 4 °C versus 73.6 % at 25 °C, synchronising antibacterial activity with the prevailing micro-flora growth rate. On RTE steak, MEONF doubled shelf-life to 18 d at 4 °C and prolonged it to 12 d at 25 °C. High-throughput sequencing (HTS) revealed that the film selectively suppressed <i>Pseudomonas</i> and <i>Bacteroidota</i> at 4 °C, and <i>unclassified Chlorobaculum</i> and <i>Esterarchaeia</i> at 25 °<i>C. SEM</i> imaging indicated that the oil vapours disrupted microbial membranes, retarded lipid oxidation and postponed protein degradation. Being fully edible and biodegradable, MEONF offers a sustainable, cold-chain-friendly solution for high-protein ready-meats.