Application of oil‐in‐water nanoemulsions based on grape and cinnamon essential oils for shelf‐life extension of chilled flathead mullet fillets

BACKGROUND The effect of nanoemulsions prepared with grape seed and cinnamon essential oils on the shelf‐life of flathead mullet (Mugil cephalus) fillets was evaluated by determining physicochemical (pH, free fatty acids, peroxide value, total volatile base nitrogen (TVB‐N), and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARs)), sensory and microbiological (mesophilic aerobic bacteria, total psychrophilic bacteria, and Enterobacteriaceae counts) properties during 14 day storage at 2 °C. RESULTS The nanoemulsions showed good stability and low average droplet size. The results indicated that nanoemulsion treatments significantly prolonged the shelf‐life of the fillets. Treatment inhibited increases in pH and TVB‐N, and retarded lipid oxidation and hydrolysis. Sensory assessment revealed that treatment induced shelf‐life extension from 10 to 14 days, compared with controls. Microbiological analyses showed nanoemulsion treatment caused shelf‐life extension from 10 to 12 days with reduction of microbiological contamination by up to 1 log cfu g−1 in mesophilic and 1.5 log cfu g−1 in psychrotrophic bacteria. CONCLUSION Considering the results, grape seed and cinnamon essential oil nanoemulsions could be considered as novel antimicrobial and antioxidant materials for shelf‐life extension of flathead mullet fillets during cold storage. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.