Enhancing the preservation of chicken breast using a curdlan/BSA gel interacted with citrus flavonoids: Interaction mode and dual-component protection

The gel matrix controlled the release of flavonoid extracts. • Improving gel texture properties with flavonoids for improved bioactivity. • The synthesized gel showed an inhibitory effect on L. monocytogenes. • The synthesized gel showed an inhibitory effect on A. westerdijkiae. • The synthesized gel preserved chicken breast quality. This study developed bovine serum albumin (BSA)-curdlan (Cn) gels infused with flavonoid extract (Fs) from orange peels to enhance chicken breast's quality. Characterization via fluorescence intensity (FI), FTIR, UV–vis, SEM, and XPS confirmed effective flavonoid integration and stable structure. Among variants, the BSA-Cn-Fs-9 gel showed the highest antioxidant activity (DPPH 40.30% and ABTS 93.72%) and sustained the release rate of Fs extract (72.91%). BSA-Cn-Fs-9 gel showed strong inhibitory effects against bacteria, including S. aureus (12.7 mm) , B. cereus (13.4 mm) , E. coli (11.4 mm), and L. monocytogenes (16 mm) , and against fungi, including P. expansum (35.7%) and A. westerdijkiae fc-1 (57.44%). Applied to chicken, BSA-Cn-Fs-9 gel inhibits microbial growth, maintains a pH of 6.5, and reduces lipid oxidation (TBRAS at 0.29 mg/kg). The findings showed that the synthesized gel could serve as an eco-friendly gel material with strong potential for practical food safety monitoring and for reducing food contamination.