Antibacterial activity and preservative effect for pork tenderloin of chitosan - glucosamine Maillard reaction products prepared by gamma irradiation

A mixed solution of chitosan (CTS) (1.6%) and glucosamine (GA) (0.4%) was irradiated by gamma rays from a Co-60 source to form Maillard reaction products (MRPs). Upon gamma-ray irradiation, the colour of the mixture solution became browner. The resultant MRP solution was characterised by spectrophotometric analyses at the wavelengths of 284 nm and 420 nm. The antibacterial activity of the CTS-GA MRP solution was evaluated against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus using the agar well diffusion method, and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value against these bacteria was also determined. The results showed that the CTS-GA MRP solution exhibited high antibacterial activity against both bacteria. Furthermore, pork tenderloin soaked in CTS-GA MRP solution for 10 min could extend the storage time by 8 days at 5°C, with higher protein content and lower total aerobic microorganism count than the control. Therefore, this CTS-GA MRP solution has the potential to be applied as a natural preservative agent for meat and meat products.