Ascorbic acid-loaded fish gelatin nanoparticles/fish skin collagen fiber antioxidant film for extending the shelf life of chilled mirror carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) fillets.

This study focused on the impact of ascorbic acid-loaded fish gelatin nanoparticles/fish skin collagen fiber (Col-AA-FGNP) antioxidant films for preserving chilled mirror carp. Both the control and samples wrapped with films exhibited quality deterioration with increased storage time, resulting in spoilage of control samples by the eighth day. The samples treated with the Col-AA-FGNP exhibited significant improvements at 10 days compared to the control. Specifically, the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, carbonyl content, pH, total volatile base nitrogen, total viable count, and Psychrophilic bacteria count were reduced by 31.7%, 23.9%, 2.2%, 28.1%, 28.6%, and 22.4%, respectively. These findings suggested that the Col-AA-FGNP effectively reduced lipid and protein oxidation, microbial growth, and decline of freshness, thereby extending the shelf life by at least 2 days. In addition, the hardness, springiness, chewiness, resilience, lightness, and whiteness values of the samples wrapped in the Col-AA-FGNP film increased, while the redness, yellowness values and centrifugal loss decreased compared to that of the control, indicating improvements in color, texture, and moisture retention. These beneficial effects were attributed to the controlled release of ascorbic acid by the nanoparticles, which played a key role in scavenging free radicals to prevent quality deterioration. Additionally, the antioxidant film acted as a barrier against oxygen and microorganisms while reducing moisture migration, thereby further extending the shelf life of the fish fillets. This study offers valuable insights into utilization of fishery by-products and application of antioxidant films in meat preservation.