Research Progress on Polysaccharide Composite Films and Coatings with Antioxidant and Antibacterial Ingredients to Extend the Shelf Life of Animal-Derived Meat

Animal-derived meat is rich in proteins and other nutrients, but is prone to spoilage during storage, including microbial contamination and fat oxidation. Therefore, there is an urgent need to find effective solutions to extend the shelf life of animal-derived meat. Polysaccharides are natural macromolecules containing multi-hydroxyl structures and functional groups, which have good solubility, film-forming properties, etc., and can form edible films. Polysaccharide films can be combined with biopolymers, nanoparticles, and natural active agents to improve their properties and enhance the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the films. This review summarizes the various sources of polysaccharides, such as chitosan, hyaluronic acid, sodium alginate, carrageenan, starch, and pullulan polysaccharides and their combination with different substances to extend the shelf life of animal-derived meat. This review may serve as a reference for further development of polysaccharides in animal-derived meat preservation.