Incorporating ε-Polylysine Hydrochloride, Tea Polyphenols, Nisin, and Ascorbic Acid into Edible Coating Solutions: Effect on Quality and Shelf Life of Marinated Eggs

This study aimed to develop and characterize the chitosan-edible coating solution (CS-NH-TC) incorporated with ε-polylysine hydrochloride, tea polyphenols, nisin, and ascorbic acid and then investigate their effect on physicochemical, antibacterial, and sensory properties of marinated eggs stored at 4 °C for 24 days; marinated eggs without coating were set as control. The CS-NH-TC edible coating solution exhibited the lowest particle size (582.6 ± 16.6 nm) and polydispersity index (0.49) and highest zeta potential (30.96) among the coatings. The FT-IR spectra showed that TP, VC, nisin, and ε-PLH were successfully encapsulated in the CS edible coating solution. The moisture content and water-holding capacity of the marinated eggs coated with CS-NH-TC remained stable up to 20 days. Marinated eggs coated with CS-NH-TC edible coating solution exhibited lower total viable counts of microorganisms and more stable color and pH values compared to the control during the entire storage time. Furthermore, the texture and sensory evaluation results demonstrated that marinated eggs coated with CS-NH-TC edible coating solution had low degradation rate and improved overall acceptability scores. This study confirmed that CS-NH-TC edible coating solution was a promising coating for improving the quality and shelf life of marinated egg products and may have a broad application prospect in the preservation of other food products.