Effective Inhibition of Microbial Spoilage of Fresh Meat Using Highly Transparent Polyvinyl Acetate Coatings Containing Glycerol Monolaurate

How to prepare transparent films or coatings containing natural antimicrobials that will not collapse in contact with fresh meat rich in water is a worthwhile research topic for retail tray packaging. Polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) and glycerol monolaurate (GML) were firstly utilized for preparing the low‐cost and highly‐practical PVAc−GML x (x = 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8) coatings exerting excellent antimicrobial activity for decontaminating packaged fresh meat. Towards E. coli or S. aureus , the killing efficiency of coatings represented the concentration‐dependence, and the killing efficiency of PVAc−GML 8 coating reached over 90% towards S. aureus . In food simulants, coatings exhibited sustained low‐release, which was beneficial for packaging preservation. Although PVAc‐GML 8 coating can show better ability to inhibit the growth of microorganisms in comparison with polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) film, the diversity of microorganism community showed the significant similarity at the end of storage during pork preservation. Strong antibacterial capability and sustainable release of GML, together with regulation in unlimited addition as food additives in food process, endowed PVAc‐based coatings with potential applicability in meat packaging.