Abstract: Highly hygroscopic pads with antibacterial activity for reducing the deterioration in the quality of tray-packaged meat during chilled storage were prepared by electrospinning combined with thermally induced crosslinking. The swelling rate and swelling loss rate of the as-prepared pads were determined and compared with those of commercial air-laid paper pads. Then, the shelf life of chilled meat packed with the two pads separately was investigated during refrigerated storage at 4 ℃. The results showed that the new pads exhibited significantly higher swelling rate than air-laid paper pads (P < 0.05). The pad prepared with a citric acid concentration of 9% (calculated based on the mass of polyvinyl alcohol) showed the best compromise between high swelling rate and low swelling loss rate. The total viable count, pH, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) content and volatile odor of chilled meat increased with storage time up to 10 days, with a markedly smaller increase in these parameters being observed in the meat packed with the new pads in comparison with that packed with air-laid paper pads and the control sample packed without using any pads. The color of all three samples became darker with increasing storage time. The L* and a* values of the meat packed with the new pads were significantly higher than those of the meat packed with air-laid paper pads and those of the control group (P < 0.05). In summary, the new pads prepared in this study can effectively absorb the accumulated meat exudate inside the package, inhibit the growth of microorganisms, and improve the sensory quality of tray-packaged chilled meat.

Key words: electrospinning; heat-induced crosslinking; antibacterial hygroscopic pads; preservative of chilled meat