The potential of antimicrobial peptide Hispidalin application in pork preservation during cold storage

Hispidalin is a novel antimicrobial peptide and has been largely produced in Pichia pastoris. Considering P. pastoris-derived Hispidalin has high antimicrobial activity and stability against various conditions, we aim to investigate its potential as a food preservative in pork meat model. Results showed that P. pastoris-derived Hispidalin had good antioxidant activity and could scavenge against 2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) radicals, superoxide anions, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radicals, and hydroxyl radicals. Importantly, P. pastoris-derived Hispidalin effectively suppressed bacterial growth and prevented food spoilage in a pork system during storage at 4ºC. Treatment with the concentration of 100 μg/ml significantly decreased the increase of pH value, drip loss, total volatile basic nitrogen, and lipid oxidation during storage, and it also maintained the best sensory characteristics and cell structure in pork. These results demonstrate the great potential of Hispidalin as a preservative to extend the shelf life of pork. Practical applications This research shows that the addition of the novel antimicrobial peptide, Hispidalin, to a meat system could provide an added antibacterial advantage to tray-packaged chilled pork and deliver an important contribution to maintain pork quality. The findings revealed that Hispidalin is a potential preservative to be developed and utilized during pork storage. This work may also help the development of novel combination systems to better preserve meat quality in the future.