The application of chitosan in food-grade coatings to control Tyrophagus putrescentiae on dry-cured hams and the effects on sensory properties

Abstract The objective of this research was to evaluate if chitosan-containing food-grade coatings can control Tyrophagus putrescentiae growth without affecting the sensory attributes of dry-cured hams. Food-grade coating treatments included (1) 0.3% chitosan (CH), (2) 0.6% CH, (3) 0.3% CH + 10% propylene glycol (PG), (4) 0.3% CH + 1% xanthan gum (XG), (5) 0.3% CH + 1% XG + 10% PG, (6) 0.3% CH + 1% carrageenan (CG) + 1% propylene glycol alginate (PGA), and (7) 0.3% CH + 1% CG + 1% PGA + 10% PG. Each coating solution was coated on ham cubes (2.54 × 2.54 × 2.54 cm3, n = 5/treatment) or infused in ham nets and dry-cured ham cubes were wrapped in the ham nets prior to inoculation with 20 adult mites. A randomized complete block design with three replications was utilized to evaluate the efficacy of treatments at controlling mite growth on dry-cured ham. When CH was mixed with XG (0.3% CH + 10% PG + 1% XG, and 0.3% CH + 1% XG) and infused into a net, fewer mites (15.7 and 21.0 mites) were on the ham cubes (P