Fuente: PubMed "meat" RSC Adv. 2026 Mar 30;16(19):17233-17248. doi: 10.1039/d6ra01488g. eCollection 2026 Mar 26.ABSTRACTDeveloping sustainable and edible active packaging materials is critical to mitigate microbial contamination and enhance food safety. This study developed a biodegradable and edible active film incorporating green-synthesized silver-zinc oxide nanocomposites (Ag/ZnO NCs) entrapping cinnamaldehyde (Ag/ZnO-N) in a food-grade alginate matrix for preservation of chilled chicken meat. The Ag/ZnO-N exhibited antibacterial activity against multi-drug-resistant (MDR) enteroaggregative Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, with a minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of 7.80 and 62.50 µg mL-1, respectively. UV-vis and Fourier-transform infra-red spectroscopic analyses confirmed nanoparticle formation and cinnamaldehyde entrapment, while X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy revealed polycrystalline morphology with reduced lattice crystallinity. The NCs exhibited minimal cytotoxicity to Vero cells (83.35% viability at 10-5 mg mL-1). Alginate (5%) films incorporating Ag/ZnO-N at MBC levels demonstrated enhanced surface roughness by atomic force microscopy, functional group integration, and potent antioxidant capacity (74.50 ± 0.14% ABTS˙+ and 8.38 ± 1.18% DPPH radical scavenging). The films were non-inhibitory to commensal microflora and exhibited significant antibacterial efficacy against MDR pathogens. In an ex vivo study on vacuum-packed chicken meat stored for 15 days under chilling conditions, the film significantly (P < 0.05) reduced aerobic plate, psychrotrophic, E. coli, and S. aureus counts, while Salmonella spp. were undetected. Lipid oxidation remained negligible and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry confirmed the absence of Ag+ and Zn2+ migration. These findings demonstrate that alginate-Ag/ZnO-N film offers a safe, edible, functional, and environmentally sustainable biomaterial platform for meat preservation, supporting circular bioeconomy-driven food systems.PMID:41919206 | PMC:PMC13034440 | DOI:10.1039/d6ra01488g