Incorporation of garlic (Allium sativum) essential oil into cellulose acetate films: effect on the preservation of sliced cooked ham

Garlic essential oil (GEO) has been recognized as a natural antimicrobial agent with a broad spectrum of action that can be associated with polymeric sustainable matrices to provide active packaging capable of improving the preservation of ready‐to‐eat meat products. In this sense, the present study aimed to evaluate the effect of cellulose acetate (CA) films incorporated with GEO on the growth of spoilage microbial groups (psychrotrophic (PSY) and lactic acid bacteria (LAB)) and physicochemical characteristics (pH, acidity index, color and index of thiobarbituric acid) of vacuum‐packed cooked sliced ham. Four treatments were evaluated (no film, CA‐film without GEO, CA‐film with 1.5% of GEO and CA‐film with 3% of GEO, applied as interfold packaging) over time (12 days). There was a significant reduction ( ca 2.0 log cycle) in PSY and LAB growth when the active films were applied between the ham slices. Also, the lag phase of PSY was extended from around 2 to 6 days, which might positively impact the product's shelf life. However, the active films showed no significant effect on the food physicochemical characteristics. Therefore, the active CA‐films incorporated with small amounts of GEO could be an interesting alternative to reduce the impact of microbial spoilage on sliced cooked ham. © 2023 Society of Industrial Chemistry.