Cumin essential oil chitosan nanocapsules (CENPs) were prepared through the ionic gelation method by blending chitosan (CS) with cumin essential oil (CEO) in different proportions (1:0.8, 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 1:4). Subsequently, these nanocapsules were characterized and evaluated for their antibacterial properties to determine the optimal cumin essential oil encapsulation and antibacterial efficacy. The outcomes demonstrated that the highest encapsulation efficiency of CENPs was 52%, achieved with a 1:3 CS/CEO ratio. At this point, the nanoparticles had the smallest particle size (584.67 nm) and a regular spherical distribution in the emulsion. Moreover, the CENPs could release the encapsulated CEOs slowly, leading to efficient inhibition of E. coli and L. monocytogenes over a relatively extended period (24-36 h) compared to the CS and CEO. This research offers a promising approach for the use of nanocapsules in food preservation.

This study aimed to optimize the processing of probiotic yogurt supplemented with cumin essential oil (CEO), vitamin C, D3 (Vit D), and reduction of fermentation time using response surface methodology as a new functional food for diabetics with desirable sensory properties. The central composite design (CCD) was used to analyze the effect of these independent variables on the growth of the Lactobacillus plantarum A7 (LA7), starter culture, and overall acceptability. Differences between treatments were analyzed. The data were evaluated by analysis of variance at the significance level of 0.05. The effective concentration of CEO and fermentation time had the significant effect on the Lactobacillus plantarum A7 (LA7) number. Variance analysis and three-dimensional graphs show that almost the only effective factor on the overall acceptability of probiotic yogurt containing essential oil and vitamin D3 was CEO. According to the obtained data from the analysis, the optimal amount of independent variables for probiotic yogurt formulation such as CEO, D3, and fermentation time was 0.02% (v/v), 400 IU, and 9 h, respectively. This functional product can be considered an efficient food to reduce or eliminate the complications of diabetes.

This study was conducted on 600 one-day-old male broiler chicks, using a 2 × 6 factorial design (ambient temperature, A x feed additive, F), for a period of 42 days. The chicks assigned to different groups were exposed to thermoneutral (TN, 24 ± 1 °C) and constant heat stress (HT, 36 ± 1 °C) conditions, and were only fed on a basal diet, and a basal diet supplemented with either 100 mg/kg chloramphenicol, 50 IU/kg α-tocopherol, or 200, 400, and 600 mg/kg of cumin essential oil (CEO). The results showed that heat stress adversely affected performance and carcass characteristics, and increased both the mortality rate and footpad lesions. Moreover, constant chronic heat stress showed negative effects on serum biochemistry and the intestinal microbiota, increased antioxidant activity in both the plasma and breast meat, and increased counts of the pathogenic microorganisms in the small intestine. On the other hand, dietary CEO supplementation positively affected these parameters. CEO had a slight effect on performance, carcass characteristics, mortality rate and the incidence of footpad lesions. When compared to the control group, it was determined that CEO generally had a positive effect on lipid peroxidation in the plasma and tissues and decreased antioxidant enzyme activity. Furthermore, CEO positively affected serum biochemistry and counts of beneficial microorganisms in the small intestine.

The environmental problems of synthetic plastics in food packaging have led researchers to synthesize biodegradable films. In this study, nanocomposite alginate-based films containing TiO2 nanoparticles (1%) and cumin essential oil (CEO, 2%) were fabricated and the potential of these films to protect beef from chemical [pH, total volatile base nitrogen (TVBN), peroxide value, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBA)] and microbial [total viable count, Enterobacteriaceae, lactic acid bacteria, Listeria monocytogenes, and Pseudomonas spp.] spoilage was evaluated during 24 days of storage (4°C). The active films significantly induced the reduction in lipid oxidation, microbial growth, and TVBN values, improved the sensory attributes of treated samples, maintained the redness of meats for a longer time, and increased the shelf life of beef from 4 to 16 days. The results of this study showed that TiO2/CEO alginate-based nanocomposite film has a great potential for application in meat and meat products.

In this study, the effects of gelatin-starch (GS) composite coating containing cucumber peel extract (CPE) and cumin essential oil (CEO) were evaluated on the shelf life enhancement of ultrafiltered (UF) cheese during 56 days of storage under refrigerated conditions. The obtained hydroethanolic CPE by the microwave method showed the best results in terms of the total phenolic content, reducing power, 2,2\'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) activity, and 2,2-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical scavenging activity compared to the immersion and ultrasound methods. The studied treatments were as follows: Control (C), GS, CPE, CEO, GS-CPE, GS-CEO, and GS-CPE-CEO. Scanning electron microscopic surface morphology of treated cheese samples showed the formation of a firm, integrated, flawless, and homogenous layer on the cheese slices of the GS-CPE-CEO treatment. All treatments significantly (p ≤ .05) decreased the total viable count, psychotropic bacteria, and yeast-mold population compared to the control group. Adding CEO and/or CPE to GS significantly (p ≤ .05) controlled undesirable changes in physical characteristics, such as weight, color, and hardness of the cheese slices. Throughout storage time, the coated cheese slices showed more stable chemical features in comparison to the uncoated cheese samples in terms of moisture, lipid oxidation, pH, and titratable acidity (TA). Sensory evaluation of the preparations showed that the GS coating containing CPE and CEO significantly (p ≤ .05) had pleasant effects on the sensory features (taste, odor, texture, and overall acceptability) of the cheese samples during storage time. It was concluded that composite coating of GS containing CPE and CEO could improve the microbial, physical, chemical, and sensory features of ultrafiltration (UF) cheese during refrigerated storage.

Preparation and characterization of novel encapsulation system based on calcium alginate hydrogels filled with cumin essential oil has been investigated. Firstly, the effect of sodium alginate concentration, CaCl2 level, hardening time, encapsulation and emulsion fabrication methods was studied on loading capacity of the hydrogels using a Resolution-V fractional factorial design (2 V5-1 FFD), followed by response surface methodology (RSM). At the optimum point, the in-vitro release of phenolic compounds in simulated gastric and intestinal mediums were 96.02 ± 0.96% and 10.65 ± 1.23% after 180 min, respectively. The Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images demonstrated a relatively smooth surface with small pore size. Based on SEM images and Fourier-transform infrared spectrums, the cumin essential oil was encapsulated successfully in calcium alginate beads. Thus, calcium alginate hydrogel could be introduced as a promising carrier for encapsulating biochemical active compounds with favorable features.

This research was conducted to assess the combined effect of chitosan (Ch) film containing cumin essential oil nanoemulsion (CNE) and low-dose gamma irradiation (GI) at 2.5 kGy on microbiological safety and quality of beef loins during 21 days of chilled storage. The growth of mesophilic and psychrophilic bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, and lactic acid bacteria were retarded in all treated groups (Ch, GI, Ch + CNE, Ch + GI, and Ch + CNE + GI groups) compared to control group during storage time. The treatments also slowed down the increasing level of total volatile basic nitrogen and pH during storage, while irradiation increased the levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and protein carbonyls in beef loins. All treatments except Ch were effective to control the growth of inoculated pathogenic bacteria, including Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Salmonella typhimurium, in loin samples. The combination of Ch + CNE + GI was the most effective treatment to control the population of microbial flora and inoculated pathogens, slow down some physicochemical changes, and enhance the storage life of beef loins. As a result, the combination of active chitosan film and low-dose gamma irradiation can ensure microbiological safety and is suggested for long time preservation of beef during chilled storage.

Eco-friendly functional bionanocomposite films were prepared using sodium caseinate (SC) and guar gum (GG) as the polymer matrix and TiO2 and cumin essential oil (CEO) as functional fillers. 0.2 vol% GG selected for the preparation of SC/GG composite film and various amount of TiO2 and CEO (1 and 2 wt% based on SC) were incorporated into the SC/GG film either individually or in combination. The addition of TiO2 and CEO significantly improved the water permeability and sensitivity properties and mechanical characteristics such as the strength (TS), stiffness (YM), and flexibility (EB) of the composite films. Also, the SC/GG films incorporated with TiO2 and CEO exhibited remarkable antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive (L. monocytogenes and S. aureus) and Gram-negative (E. coli O157: H7 and S. enteritidis) bacteria. All the film properties were varied not only on the concentration of TiO2 and CEO, but also increased synergistically when they were added together.