Preparation, Physicochemical Characteristic, and Bacteriostatic Effect of Gelatin Microspheres Loaded with Sodium Nitrate

In this study, gelatin type A microspheres (GAMs) and gelatin type B microspheres (GBMs) loaded with sodium nitrite (NaNO₂) were prepared by emulsification cross-linking method, their physical and chemical characteristics were characterized, and their effect on the quality preservation of beef jerky and pork jerky was explored. The results showed that the particle size of the microspheres was 25–40 μm. With the increase of TGase concentration, the elastic modulus and viscous modulus of the microspheres increased, showing a viscoelastic internal structure like a solid. At the same time, it was found that the microspheres had a good preservative effect on beef jerky and pork jerky, and GAMs was more effective than GBMs, which may be closely related to the high encapsulation rate of NaNO₂ and the release of NO from GAMs.