Simultaneous inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes and modulation of quality attributes in Minas Frescal cheese by nanoencapsulated carvacrol.

Minas Frescal is a high-moisture Brazilian fresh cheese highly susceptible to the growth of Listeria monocytogenes. Although carvacrol (CAR) exhibits potent antimicrobial activity, its direct application in food matrices is limited by chemical instability and strong sensory impact. Thus, encapsulation of CAR may help overcome these limitations. This study evaluated chia mucilage nanocapsules containing CAR (CMNP) for the control of L. monocytogenes in Minas Frescal cheese during 30 days of refrigerated storage (7 °C). The effects of CMNP on physicochemical properties and in vivo safety using the Caenorhabditis elegans model were also investigated. CMNP reduced L. monocytogenes to levels below the detection limit and promoted an approximately 4.0 log CFU g-1 reduction in total bacterial counts after 30 days of storage, significantly outperforming free carvacrol solution (CS), even at a lower active concentration. Water activity (aw = 0.99) remained stable throughout storage, with only minor variations in pH and moisture content. However, CMNP incorporation increased hardness and gumminess, indicating textural modifications during storage. No acute toxicity was observed for any treatment in the C. elegans model. Overall, CMNP demonstrated strong potential as a natural antimicrobial delivery system for improving the microbiological safety of fresh dairy products while maintaining key physicochemical characteristics, without inducing acute toxicity.