Feasibility study of production of Saffron (Crocus sativus) nanoemulsion by ultrasonic homogenizer method to improve Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) quality during the cold storage period

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Kiana Tayeboon 1
Hamed Ahari 2
sara Allahyaribeyk 3
Sima Moradi 4
Mahnaz Norouzi 5
Leila Pezaeshknejad 2
Zahra Goudarzi 4
Fatemeh Amini Najafi 6
1 Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2 Department of Food Science and Technology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
3 Department of Physical Oceanography, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University
4 Department of Food Hygiene, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
5 Department of Management, WT.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
6 Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
10.22034/jfss.2026.596282.1000
Abstract
Food spoilage in refrigerated environments, driven by bacterial growth, lipid oxidation, and protein degradation, remains a major challenge in the food industry, particularly for perishable fish like Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). This investigation evaluated the efficacy of saffron (Crocus sativus) extract nanoemulsion, prepared using ultrasonic homogenization with 0.25% pectin, as a natural preservative to enhance tilapia fillet quality for three weeks storage period. Nanoemulsions (0%, 12.5%, 25%, and 50% concentrations) were characterized by dynamic light scattering, revealing a 149.4 nm monodisperse droplet size with 0.25% pectin, selected for its stability and bioavailability. Results showed that 50% nanoemulsion significantly reduced lipid peroxidation (peroxide index: 6.13 ± 0.13 meq/kg), protein degradation (TVB-N: 81.06 ± 1.05 mg/100g), and bacterial growth (e.g., mesophiles: 6.89 ± 0.00, psychrotrophs: 9.12 ± 0.03, S. aureus: 9.74 ± 1.28, coliforms: 7.11 ± 0.02 log10 CFU/g) compared to uncoated fillets, while preserving sensory scores (taste, color, texture, odor, overall acceptability: ~2.33 on a 5-point scale). The nanoemulsion’s ethanol-based formulation and antibacterial-antioxidant properties, driven by saffron’s crocin, safranal, and picrocrocin, underscore its potential as a sustainable alternative to synthetic preservatives.

Graphical Abstract

Feasibility study of production of Saffron (Crocus sativus) nanoemulsion by ultrasonic homogenizer method to improve Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) quality during the cold storage period
Keywords
Food spoilage
antimicrobial compounds
Saffron extract
Nanoemulsion
Journal of Food Safety and Science

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 08 September 2026