Efficiency of Free and Nano-Encapsulated Ginger essential oil (Zingiber officinale) on Survival of Staphylococcus aureus, Microbial Shelf-Life Indicators, and Deterioration Criteria in Minced Beef Meat Model

Abstract The food industry is grappling with contamination issues, and natural antimicrobials can potentially enhance food safety by reducing the microbiological risk of minced beef. In this study, we investigated the ability of ginger ( Zingiber officinale ) essential oil (GEO) (40 μL/ml) and its nano-encapsulated form (GEO-Nps) (5 μL/ml) to control the deterioration and microbiological growth in raw minced beef meat as an actual food model. Ginger essential oil was nan-encapsulated in a mixture of chitosan and arabic gum to improve its stability and solubility. The size, and morphology of the obtained nanoparticles were studied with a zeta-sizer and TEM. The GEO-Nps showed a particle size of 233nm with a spherical shape. The antibacterial activity of GEO and GEO-Nps were evaluated using disk diffusion against S. aureus with a diameter of 12.5 and 16 mm, respectively. Two experiments were conducted to determine safety and spoiling characteristics, one with pathogen-inoculated samples and the other with non-inoculated samples. The minced beef meat samples were examined for their keeping quality by aerobic bacterial, Staphylococcal and Enterobacteriaceae counts, as well as measuring pH, TBA, and TVBN immediately after preparation (zero time) and throughout 14 days of chilled storage (4 ± 1°C). The study reveals that GEO-Nps, when combined with original GEO, effectively inhibits Staphylococcus aureus and extends the shelf-life of minced beef meat from 6 to 14 days. In all sensory analyses, nanoencapsulation was the most effective form followed by GEO.