Protective Effect of Fish Gelatin‐Based Natural Antimicrobial Coatings on Quality of I ndian S almon Fillets during Refrigerated Storage

Abstract The present study was carried out to examine the effect of gelatin‐based coating solutions enriched with natural preservative agents like chitosan, garlic (Allium sativum) and lime (Citrus aurantifolia) on quality and shelf life of refrigerated fresh Indian salmon (Eleutheronema tetradactylum) fillets. Three different coating solutions were prepared (T1: 10% gelatin; T2: 10% gelatin + 1.5% chitosan + 30% lime juice; T3: 10% gelatin + 1.5% chitosan + 30% garlic extract) and evaluated for antimicrobial activity. The antimicrobial activity of coating solutions was evaluated against eight fishborne pathogens and spoilage bacteria by agar well diffusion and micro broth dilution methods. The coating formula was found to be highly efficient in extending the shelf life of Indian salmon fillets up to 16 days in refrigerated storage by dip treatment. Among the three different treatments, garlic containing coating solution (T3) was found to be the best in extending the shelf life of fish fillets. Practical Applications The need for natural edible coatings in food industry is of great demand and it is challenging to have natural compounds exhibiting better preservative role as comparable with chemical preservatives. The present study evidenced that edible coatings made of gelatin, chitosan and garlic/lime extracts exhibit preservative action and extend the shelf life of fish fillets.