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. 2022 Apr 16;11(8):1158.
doi: 10.3390/foods11081158.

Efficacy of Whey Protein Film Incorporated with Portuguese Green Tea (Camellia sinensis L.) Extract for the Preservation of Latin-Style Fresh Cheese

João Robalo  1 , Maria Lopes  1 , Olga Cardoso  1   2 , Ana Sanches Silva  1   3   4 , Fernando Ramos  1   5
Affiliations

Efficacy of Whey Protein Film Incorporated with Portuguese Green Tea (Camellia sinensis L.) Extract for the Preservation of Latin-Style Fresh Cheese

João Robalo et al. Foods. .

Abstract

Fresh cheese composition favors the growth of microorganisms and lipid oxidation, leading to a short shelf life. Whey protein concentrates can be used to produce active films in which green tea (Camellia sinensis L.) extract, rich in bioactive compounds, namely catechins, can be incorporated. Thus, the main objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of an edible active film, incorporated with green tea extract, to preserve goat and mixture (goat and sheep) fresh cheeses. Our results demonstrated that Portuguese green teas (antioxidant activity coefficient-AAC = 746.7) had superior antioxidant capacity to that of the evaluated Asian green tea (AAC = 650). Furthermore, green tea produced from the leaves of the new Portuguese Chá Camélia tea plantation had the highest potential to retain the antioxidant capacity (97.3%). Additionally, solid-liquid extractions led to extracts with higher antioxidant activity (AAC = 1500), but Soxhlet extractions presented higher yield (43%). Furthermore, the active film incorporated with Portuguese green tea extract exhibited a high antioxidant capacity (AAC ≈ 595.4). In addition, the active film effectively delayed the lipid oxidation of the evaluated fresh cheeses (3.2 mg MDA Eq/kg) when compared with the control (4.2 mg MDA Eq/kg). Moreover, the active films effectively inhibited the growth of microorganisms, especially E. coli (1.5 × 10 CFU/g), when compared with the blank (2.2 × 102 CFU/g). This study suggests that the new whey protein film incorporated with Portuguese green tea extract has the potential to be used to extend fresh cheese shelf life.

Keywords: active packaging; antimicrobial activity; antioxidant capacity; edible film; fresh cheese; green tea; whey protein.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Mixture fresh cheeses packaged with the active film (A) and the control film (B).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Comparison of the antioxidant activity of different green teas and C. sinensis flower infusions. Results of β-carotene bleaching inhibition test are expressed as antioxidant activity coefficients (AAC). G = Gorreana; H = Happy Flora; CA = Chá Camélia (leaves); CB = Chá Camélia (flowers). The numbers 2, 3, and 4 stand for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th infusions obtained by reusing the green tea leaves (G, H, CA) or C. sinensis flowers (CB).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Comparison of the total phenolic compounds of different green teas and C. sinensis flower infusions. Results of TPC are expressed in mg of gallic acid equivalent per g of tea (mg GAE/g tea). G = Gorreana; H = Happy Flora; CA = Chá Camélia (leaves); CB = Chá Camélia (flowers). The numbers 2, 3, and 4 stand for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th infusions obtained by reusing the green tea leaves (G, H, CA) or C. sinensis flowers (CB).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Comparison of the total flavonoid compounds (TFC) of different green teas and C. sinensis flowers’ infusion. Results of TFC are expressed as mg of epicatechin equivalent per g of tea (mg ECE/ml tea). G = Gorreana; H = Happy Flora; CA = Chá Camélia (leaves); CB = Chá Camélia (flowers). The numbers 2, 3, and 4 stand for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th infusions obtained by reusing the green tea leaves (G, H, CA) or C. sinensis flowers (CB).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Comparison of the antioxidant activity of different green teas and C. sinensis flower infusions. Results of DPPH radical inhibition test are expressed in µg Trolox equivalent per g of tea (µg TE/mL tea). G = Gorreana; H = Happy Flora; CA = Chá Camélia (leaves); CB = Chá Camélia (flowers). The numbers 2, 3, and 4 stand for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th infusions obtained by reusing the green tea leaves (G, H, CA) or C. sinensis flowers (CB).
Figure 6
Figure 6
Comparison of green tea extracts prepared by two different extraction methods. β-carotene bleaching inhibition test results are expressed as AAC. **** = p ≤ 0.0001,* = p ≤ 0.05, ns = p > 0.05.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Comparison of green tea extracts prepared by two different extraction methods. Total flavonoid content is expressed in mg of epicatechin equivalent per g of extract (mg ECE/g extract). **** = p ≤ 0.0001, ns = p > 0.05.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Comparison of green tea extracts prepared by two different extraction methods. Results of DPPH radical inhibition test are expressed as mg Trolox equivalent per g of extract (µg TE/g extract). **** = p ≤ 0.0001, ** = p ≤ 0.01, ns = p > 0.05.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Comparison of green tea extracts prepared by two different extraction methods. Total phenolic compound content is expressed as mg of gallic acid equivalent per g of extract (mg GAE/g extract). ** = p ≤ 0.01, * = p ≤ 0.05, ns = p > 0.05.
Figure 10
Figure 10
Results of the antioxidant capacity of a β-carotene bleaching inhibition test on the active films after a migration test at 40 °C for 10 days (active film—C. sinensis extract vs. control—blank film). β-carotene bleaching inhibition test results are expressed as AAC. **** = p ≤ 0.0001.
Figure 11
Figure 11
Results of the antioxidant capacity of the active films after a migration test at 40 °C for 10 days (active film—C. sinensis extract vs. control—blank film). DPPH radical inhibition test results are expressed in mg Trolox equivalent per g of film (µg TE/g film). * = p ≤ 0.05.
Figure 12
Figure 12
Results of the total phenolic content of the active films after a migration test at 40 °C for 10 days (active film—C. sinensis extract vs. control—blank film), expressed in mg gallic acid equivalent per g of film (mg GAE/g film). * = p ≤ 0.05.
Figure 13
Figure 13
Results of the total flavonoid content of the active films after a migration test at 40 °C for 10 days (active film—C. sinensis extract vs. control—blank film), expressed in mg epicatechin equivalent per g of film (mg ECE/g). ** = p ≤ 0.01.
Figure 14
Figure 14
Results of TBARS assay for goat and mixture fresh cheese samples packaged with the control film (without green tea extract) and active film (with green tea extract). FMCB—mixture fresh cheese packaged with the control film; FMCA—mixture fresh cheese packaged with the active film; FGCB—goat fresh cheese packaged with the control film; FGCA—goat fresh cheese packaged with the active film. * = p ≤ 0.05, ** = p ≤ 0.01.
Figure 15
Figure 15
Results of total microorganism count at 30 °C, expressed as colony-forming units per g of fresh cheese (CFU/g fresh cheese). Total microorganism counts were carried out on goat fresh cheese (Goat Fresh Cheese) and mixture fresh cheese (Sheep and Goat Fresh Cheese) produced on the day. Furthermore, both cheeses were wrapped with the edible active film (Goat Fresh Cheese (Active) and Sheep and Goat Fresh Cheese (Active)) and with the control film (Goat Fresh Cheese (Blank) and Sheep and Goat Fresh Cheese (Blank)) and stored at 5 °C in order to simulate standard storage conditions. After one week of storage at refrigerated temperatures, a total microorganism count was carried out. The numbers of colonies on Goat Fresh Cheese (Active) and blank were uncountable and are therefore not shown.
Figure 16
Figure 16
Results of the Escherichia coli colony count in goat fresh cheese, expressed as CFU per g of fresh cheese (CFU/g fresh cheese). An Escherichia coli colony count was carried out on goat fresh cheese produced on the day (Goat Fresh Cheese). Furthermore, the cheese was wrapped with the edible active film (Goat Fresh Cheese (Active)) and with the control film (Goat Fresh Cheese (Blank)) and stored at 5 °C in order to simulate standard storage conditions. After one week of storage at refrigerated temperatures, an Escherichia coli colony count was carried out.
Figure 17
Figure 17
Results of the Escherichia coli colony count in mixture (sheep and goat) fresh cheese, expressed as CFU per g of fresh cheese (CFU/g fresh cheese). An Escherichia coli colony count was carried out on mixture fresh cheese produced on the day (Sheep and Goat Fresh Cheese). Furthermore, the cheese was wrapped with the edible active film (Sheep and Goat Fresh Cheese (Active)) and with the control film (Sheep and Goat Fresh Cheese (Blank)) and stored at 5 °C in order to simulate standard storage conditions. After one week of storage at refrigerated temperatures, an Escherichia coli colony count was carried out.
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