Development of Antimicrobial Packaging Films Incorporated Litsea cubeba Oil or Grape Seed Oil and Their Applications on Chilled Chicken Meat

ABSTRACT Chilled chicken meat is highly susceptible to spoilage, necessitating advanced preservation strategies. This study developed konjac glucomannan/alginate‐based films (NMP) incorporated with β‐cyclodextrin‐encapsulated Litsea cubeba oil (LCOP) or grape seed oil (GSOP) microcapsules. The films' physicochemical properties and preservation efficacy were evaluated against polyethylene (CK). Thermal gravimetric analysis demonstrated enhanced thermal stability with delayed decomposition at 180° C. SEM revealed uniform microcapsule dispersion within the matrix, though surface heterogeneity was induced in LCOP/GSOP. Water‐vapour permeability remained comparable across films (3.13–3.32 × 10 −11 g·m −1 ·s −1 ·Pa −1 ), while UV transmittance decreased significantly (LCOP 87.87%, GSOP 88.80% vs. CK 92.79%). After 7‐day storage at 4°C, LCOP and GSOP maintained lower pH (6.46 and 6.51 vs. CK 6.82; p 15/25 vs. CK < 5). Microbial analysis confirmed reduced Pseudomonas dominance (24.3%–34.6% vs. CK 97.0%) and total viable counts (4.05–4.10 vs. 6.18 log CFU·g −1 ; p < 0.05), demonstrating effective shelf‐life extension.