Antioxidant sericin/agarose-based hydrogel absorbent pad loaded with carbon dots-conjugated bacteriophage for chilled pork preservation and controlling of Salmonella contamination.

This study developed a sericin (SS)/agarose (AG)-based hydrogel absorbent pad for chilled pork preservation, using the conjugate of carbon dots (CDs) derived from mulberry leaves and Salmonella bacteriophage (phage) SM-p2 as a novel functional filler. Via amide coupling, CDs were conjugated with SM-p2 to form CDs@SM-p2, which significantly enhanced antibacterial efficacy while enabling targeted fluorescent imaging of Salmonella. Optimization of the SS/AG ratio enhanced the mechanical strength and water absorption ability of the hydrogel absorbent pads and enabled the sustained release of CDs@SM-p2. The absorbent pads loaded with CDs@SM-p2 exhibited superior antioxidant activity and antibacterial effects against Salmonella. The preservation experiments demonstrated that the pads effectively retarded pork oxidation, inhibited microbial growth and maintained pork storage quality. By simultaneously addressing both exudate and oxidation-related spoilage and Salmonella contamination, this multifunctional pad could provide an innovative and sustainable strategy to enhance the safety and extend the shelf life of chilled pork.