Effect of Wheat Gluten Films Infused with Mint and Clove Essential Oils on the Shelf Life of Fresh Minced Chicken

The need for active biodegradable packaging materials with the ability to improve the microbiological stability of highly perishable foods was investigated in the present study. Specifically, wheat gluten-based films infused with spearmint (<i>Mentha spicata</i> L.) and clove (<i>Syzygium aromaticum</i> L.) essential oils (EOs)were studied by linking the physicochemical and mechanical properties of the film to the microbiological quality and shelf-life behavior of minced chicken under aerobic refrigerated storage. The packaged samples tested were packaging without film (Control), a wheat gluten film (WGF), WGF with 2% spearmint EO (WGF + 2% SPR), and 2% clove EO (WGF + 2% CL) stored at 4 ± 1 °C for 8 days, under aerobic conditions. Shelf-life extension was evaluated based on established microbiological spoilage criteria, indicating delayed microbial growth in samples packaged with EO-enhanced films compared with the Control. Microbiological analyses (TVC, yeast, <i>Pseudomonas</i> spp., <i>B. Thermosphacta</i>, <i>Enterobacteriaceae</i>, LAB) showed that WGF + 2% CL delayed the time required to reach the spoilage threshold for TVC (7 log CFU/g) by 2 days compared with the Control, while WGF and WGF + 2% SPR extended shelf life by 1 day. Physicochemical properties (pH and objective color) also showed better pH stability and limited color changes in the packaged samples. Mechanical properties resulted in improved film antioxidant activity and flexibility and reduced tensile strength for the EO-enhanced films. Overall, WGFs enhanced with EOs seem to improve minced chicken meat quality during refrigerated storage through the combined effect of antimicrobial activity and modified film properties, highlighting their potential as active packaging materials under the specific conditions studied.