Elder Pacheco da Cruz, Guilherme Miranda Oliveira, Natalie Rauber Kleinubing, Estefania Júlia Dierings de Souza, Felipe Nardo dos Santos, Tatiane Jéssica Siebeneichler, Camila de Oliveira Pacheco, Eliezer Avila Gandra, Alvaro Renato Guerra Dias, Wladimir Padilha da Silva, Tatiana Valesca Rodriguez Alicieo & Elessandra da Rosa Zavareze
Abstract
Physically cross-linked cryogels of carioca bean starch and ginger essential oil (GEO) were synthesized and characterized as exudate absorbers and carriers of bioactive compounds and were ultimately evaluated for their potential to control Listeria monocytogenes in raw beef. The cryogels were prepared through starch gelatinization followed by freeze–thaw cycles, with the addition of 10% and 40% GEO (v/v). Free GEO, which contains α-zingiberene as its major active and volatile component, showed antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria (L. monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus). Morphological analysis revealed a porous, interconnected structure with randomly oriented pores. The cryogels demonstrated high porosity (88.95–91.81%), low density (0.063–0.085 g/cm–3), high water absorption capacity (1135.1–1444.2%), and controlled syneresis (214.6–234.6%). Texture analysis indicated that cryogels with 10% GEO had suitable strength for exudate-absorbing packaging, whereas those with 40% GEO showed lower structural stability. FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of functional groups characteristic of both starch and GEO. The cryogels were effective in reducing L. monocytogenes counts in raw beef, regardless of the presence of GEO in the formulation, likely due to their ability to absorb raw beef exudate. Moreover, after the storage period, L. monocytogenes counts were significantly lower in GEO-containing cryogels. Additionally, these cryogels absorbed up to ~ 332% (v/v) of raw beef exudate, demonstrating potential for application in beef packaging by combining exudate absorption with antimicrobial activity.