Physicochemical, structural, and biological properties of novel water-soluble polysaccharide derived from the Tunisian plant and its application on beef meat preservation.

This work aims to characterize a novel water-soluble polysaccharide from leaves named PSP. The Infrared (FT-IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra confirmed the presence of different polysaccharide functional bands. The High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis identified a heteropolysaccharide composed of two monosaccharides. A semi-crystalline structure of PSP was proved using the X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis. The evaluation of the antioxidant activity revealed an interesting potential to prevent oxidative stress. Additionally, PSP showed interesting functional propreties such as good oil and water retention abilities, higher foaming stability, and higher emulsifying capacity and stability. However, the effect of PSP on the oxidation of lipids in the ground beef meat was established during nine days at 4 °C. Obtained data revealed a significant decrease in malondialdehyde levels, inhibition of metmyoglobin (MetMb) accumulation, and significant inhibition of microbial growth compared with the control sample during storage. Moreover, incorporating PSP in minced meat proved color pH and moisture stability. Overall, the findings in the present study confirmed that PSP could be considered a natural bioactive polymer for food applications.