Effects of cold storage, thermal processing, and in vitro digestion on riboflavin stability, bioaccessibility, and release kinetics in nanofiber-coated shrimp and chicken

Riboflavin (vitamin B₂) is an essential but light- and heat-sensitive nutrient often lost during cooking and storage. This study investigated a nanofiber-based edible coating to improve riboflavin retention and release in shrimp and chicken meat. Riboflavin-loaded polyvinyl alcohol nanofibers were electrospun and applied to shrimp and chicken surfaces. Coated and uncoated samples were stored at 4 °C for 3 days, then subjected to cooking and in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. Riboflavin content was measured in raw, cooked, and digested samples, and release kinetics were analyzed using Peppas, Higuchi, zero-order, and first-order models. The nanofiber coating significantly increased the riboflavin content of both shrimp and chicken and prevented vitamin losses during cold storage and heating. Release kinetics differed by meat type: riboflavin release in shrimp followed Peppas (diffusion exponent n = 0.32) and Higuchi models, while in chicken it followed zero-order and first-order models, with Peppas exponent n = 1.63 indicating anomalous (non-Fickian) transport. The nanofiber coating also enhanced riboflavin bioaccessibility, increasing it from 81% (control) to 87% in shrimp and from 89% to 95% in chicken. In conclusion, riboflavin-loaded nanofiber coatings effectively protect and deliver riboflavin in meat products, enhancing nutritional value through greater stability and bioaccessibility.