Sensory Evaluation of Baked Chicken Wrapped with Antimicrobial Apple and Tomato Edible Films Formulated with Cinnamaldehyde and Carvacrol Wen-Xian Du, † Roberto J. Avena-Bustillos,* ,† Rachelle Woods, † Andrew P. Breksa, † Tara H. McHugh, † Mendel Friedman, ‡ Carol E. Levin, ‡ and Robert Mandrell ‡ † Processed Foods Research, and ‡ Produce Safety and Microbiology, Western Regional Research Center, Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 800 Buchanan Street, Albany, California 94710, United States ABSTRACT: The addition of plant essential oils to edible films and coatings has been shown to protect against bacterial pathogens and spoilage while also enhancing sensory properties of foods. This study evaluated the effect of adding 0.5 and 0.75% carvacrol (active ingredient of oregano oil) to apple- and tomato-based film-forming solutions and 0.5 and 0.75% cinnamaldehyde (active ingredient of cinnamon oil) to apple-based film-forming solutions on sensory properties of cooked chicken wrapped with these films. Paired preference tests indicated no difference between baked chicken wrapped with tomato and apple films containing 0.5% carvacrol and cinnamaldehyde compared to chicken wrapped with tomato or apple films without the plant antimicrobials. The taste panel indicated a higher preference for carvacrol-containing tomato-coated chicken over the corresponding apple coating. There was also a higher preference for cinnamaldehyde-containing apple films over corresponding carvacrol-containing wrapping. Films containing antibacterial active compounds derived from essential oils can be used to protect raw chicken pieces against bacterial contamination without adversely affecting preferences of wrapped chicken pieces after baking. KEYWORDS: Antibacterial films and coatings, essential oils, cooked chicken, hedonic evaluation, sensory preferences ■ INTRODUCTION The use of edible films and coatings to protect and preserve foods is increasing because they offer several advantages over synthetic materials, such as being biodegradable and environ- mentally friendly. 1 The ability of edible films to retard moisture, oxygen, aroma, and solute transport may also be further enhanced by including additives, such as antioxidants, antimicrobials, colorants, flavors, fortifying nutrients, and spices in film formulation. 2 The addition of natural antioxidants derived from fruit and vegetable extracts to increase the shelf life of food products has become a popular strategy. Edible films and coatings can be used as carriers of plant essential oils, whereby the active antibacterial components present in the oils may protect food against bacterial pathogens and spoilage organisms while potentially enhancing sensory properties of coated foods. McHugh and others 3 developed the first edible films made from fruit purees. They found that apple-based edible films are excellent oxygen barriers but not very good moisture barriers. Apple wraps used on fresh-cut apple slices proved more effective than coatings to increase their shelf life, reduce moisture loss, and cause brown. 4 A diet rich in apple fruit is considered beneficial for human health. Apple fruit contains several health- and sensory-related constituents, including dietary fiber, sugars, vitamins, and phenolic compounds. There is strong evidence that phenolic compounds may help prevent cardiovascular disease and cancer. 5 In addition to its flavor properties, tomatoes are also reported to possess numerous beneficial nutritional and bioactive components that may promote human health. These include the nutrients vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, and potassium; non- nutritive digestible and indigestible dietary fiber; the anti- oxidative compounds lycopene, β-carotene, and lutein; 6,7 cholesterol-lowering properties; 8,9 and glycoalkaloids tomatine and dehydrotomatine; and immune-system-enhancing proper- ties. 10 Consumption of tomatoes, tomato products, and isolated bioactive tomato ingredients is reported to be associated with a lowered risk of cancer, 11 heart disease, 12 diabetes, 13 and hypertension. 14 These considerations suggest that edible tomato films containing antimicrobials may have multiple benefits. These include protection of food against contamination by pathogenic microorganisms as well as nutritional and health benefits associated with the consumption of the above-mentioned tomato ingredients that may be present in the films. Oregano essential oil is compatible with the sensory characteristics of tomato-based films. In addition to desirable antimicrobial and barrier properties in these films, oregano oil exhibits antioxidative and other beneficial effects that are reported to be associated with tomatoes. 15,16 We previously demonstrated the antimicrobial effectiveness against foodborne pathogens of oregano oil in phosphate buffers 17,18 and in films prepared from fruits and vegetables. 19-25 Antimicrobial assays of tomato films indicated that optimum antimicrobial effects occurred when 0.75% carvacrol (main active compound of oregano oil) was added to tomato purees before film preparation. High-performance liquid chromatog- Received: March 26, 2012 Revised: July 23, 2012 Accepted: July 25, 2012 Published: July 25, 2012 Article pubs.acs.org/JAFC This article not subject to U.S. Copyright. Published 2012 by the American Chemical Society 7799 dx.doi.org/10.1021/jf301281a | J. Agric. Food Chem. 2012, 60, 7799-7804