Natural antioxidants in processing and storage stability of sheep and goat meat products

Dietary citrus pulp and grape pomace as potential natural preservatives for extending beef shelf life

The shelf-life of beef was compared from 7-months old Angus steers (281 ± 15.4 kg initial body weight) fed 150 g/kg DM dried citrus pulp (DCP) or grape pomace (DGP) for 90 days. The antioxidant activity, bacterial load, and lipid and protein oxidation were evaluated on the longissimus lumborum subjected to air-permeable packaging at days 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 post-slaughter. Beef antioxidant activity was DGP > DCP > control (P ≤ 0.05). Beef from steers fed DGP or DCP had higher L* values (P ≤ 0.05) and fewer (P ≤ 0.05) coliform counts than steers fed the control diet. Beef antioxidant activity was DGP > DCP > control (P ≤ 0.05). Beef TBARS and carbonyl contents were DGP < DCP < control (P ≤ 0.05). Overall, antioxidant activity decreased (P ≤ 0.05), while bacterial loads, TBARS and carbonyl contents increased (P ≤ 0.05) during retail display for all diets. Current findings indicate that DGP could be a better natural preservative than DCP when included in beef cattle finishing diets.

Inclusion of Ethanol Extract of Mesquite Leaves to Enhance the Oxidative Stability of Pork Patties

The lipid oxidation (LOX) of pork meat has been associated with loss of quality and shorter shelf life. Consequently, synthetic antioxidants have been used to reduce this process, but their use has shown potential health risks. Thus, the use of natural ingredients has been suggested as a strategy to prevent LOX. This study aimed to assess the oxidative stability of pork patties treated with ethanol extract of mesquite leaf (EEML) during storage. Furthermore, the polyphenol composition (TPC, total phenolic, TFC, total flavonoid) and antioxidant activity (antiradical and reducing power activity) of EEML were also evaluated. For this study, five treatments (CN (control), without antioxidant; Asc, ascorbic acid 0.02%; BHT, butylated hydroxytoluene 0.02%; EEML1, 0.05%; and EEML2, 0.1%) of pork patties were applied. Patty samples were stored at 4 °C, and physicochemical parameters, lipid oxidation, total antioxidant capacity of the meat, and sensory analysis were evaluated at 0, 3, 7, and 10 days of storage. EEML presented high values of TPC (278.5 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g) and TFC (226.8 mg rutin equivalents (RE)/g) levels. The addition of EEML did not modify the chemical composition of the pork patties. On the other hand, colour parameters were affected by the inclusion of EEML in pork patties, presenting the lowest a* in the CN group compared to the other groups after 10 days storage. Lipid oxidation increased during the whole period, showing the lowest (P < 0.05) conjugated dienes and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) values (40% and 90% of inhibition, respectively) compared to the CN group. Regarding sensory analysis, there were no significant differences in colour, appearance, odour, flavour, juiciness, fat sensation, and firmness of the cooked pork patties among treatments. These results suggest that EEML has great potential as a natural antioxidant for meat products.

Propolis Extract as Antioxidant to Improve Oxidative Stability of Fresh Patties during Refrigerated Storage

The effect of propolis ethanol extract (PEE), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), and ascorbic acid (Asc) against lipid (Lox) and protein oxidation (Pox), color deterioration, and the antioxidant stabilizer of raw beef and pork patties during chilled storage (9 days at 2 °C/under darkness) was investigated. Total phenolic content (TPC), reducing power ability (RPA), DPPH^● radical scavenging activity (FRSA) of the PEE was evaluated. Meat samples were evaluated for pH, Lox (TBARS), Pox (Carbonyls), color (L*, a*, b*, C*, and h*), metmyoglobin formation (MMb), TPC, RPA, and FRSA. Results indicated that PEE is rich in phenolic content and antioxidant activity, and their incorporation in beef and pork patties reduced (p < 0.05) Lox and Pox (TBARS-88.7 and 80% inhibition; Pox-47.3 and 30.6% inhibition, respectively), as well as loss of color and increased the oxidative stability throughout storage.

Quality properties of sausage incorporated with flaxseed and tomato powders

The present study investigates the chemical properties and sensory attributes of beef sausages which have been incorporated with three tomato powder levels (0, 1.5 and 3%) and three flaxseed powder levels (0, 3 and 6%). All samples were stored at 4 °C for 42 days. The addition of tomato and flaxseed powders decreased (P < .001) L* values, pH, residual nitrite and moisture contents and increased b* value (P < .001), protein, carbohydrate, ash, fiber and total calories contents. The nitrite content decreased during the storage time. Linolenic acid increased with the addition of flaxseed powder. Generally, adding tomato and flaxseed powders up to 3% had no effect (P > .05) on the sensory evaluation parameters on cooked and fried sausages. Based on the obtained results, it is possible to produce sausages incorporated with tomato and flaxseed powders and introduce to the market as a new processed meat product.

A Comprehensive Review on Lipid Oxidation in Meat and Meat Products

Meat and meat products are a fundamental part of the human diet. The protein and vitamin content, as well as essential fatty acids, gives them an appropriate composition to complete the nutritional requirements. However, meat constituents are susceptible to degradation processes. Among them, the most important, after microbial deterioration, are oxidative processes, which affect lipids, pigments, proteins and vitamins. During these reactions a sensory degradation of the product occurs, causing consumer rejection. In addition, there is a nutritional loss that leads to the formation of toxic substances, so the control of oxidative processes is of vital importance for the meat industry. Nonetheless, despite lipid oxidation being widely investigated for decades, the complex reactions involved in the process, as well as the different pathways and factors that influenced them, make that lipid oxidation mechanisms have not yet been completely understood. Thus, this article reviews the fundamental mechanisms of lipid oxidation, the most important oxidative reactions, the main factors that influence lipid oxidation, and the routine methods to measure compounds derived from lipid oxidation in meat.

Upregulation of antioxidant enzymes by organic mineral co-factors to improve oxidative stability and quality attributes of muscle from laying hens

This study investigated the impact of organic trace minerals (OTM: Fe, Cu, Mn, and Zn proteinates premix) and Se-yeast (0.25 mg/kg) as a feed supplement versus inorganic forms of the same minerals (sulfated) on the enzymatic (GPX, CAT, SOD), oxidative, and physicochemical properties of fresh breast muscle from 68-week old hens during storage (4 °C) for 0, 2, 4 and 6 days. OTM with Se-yeast was more effective than sulfated minerals or selenite for enriching meat with Zn, Se and vitamin E (P < .05). At only one-third of the full inorganic mineral supplementation level, OTM with Se-yeast still induced higher GPX activity and greater inhibition of lipid (58% less TBARS) and protein (24% less sulfhydryl loss) oxidation. The organic mineral treatments significantly decreased drip loss and improved color stability of meat when compared with inorganic mineral supplements. Enhanced muscle cellular antioxidant enzymatic activity by the mineral co-factors was plausibly implicated in the protection.

Effects of feeding increasing levels of grape (Vitis vinifera cv. Pinotage) pomace on lamb shelf-life and eating quality

The study evaluated shelf-life and sensory quality of meat from lambs fed finisher diets containing increasing levels of grape pomace (GP; 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20% GP/kg DM). Color, antioxidant activity and lipid oxidation of the longissimus lumborum were evaluated on different storage times (days 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9) post-slaughter using overwrapped air-permeable packaging. Treatments 0, 10 and 20% GP/kg DM were used for evaluation of protein oxidation and microbial counts on days 1, 5 and 7, while a trained panel assessed the sensory quality on day 1. Diet neither influenced meat color nor sensory quality. Diet × day interactions were observed for antioxidant activity, lipid and protein oxidation. Overall, the 20% GP/kg-diet finished lamb meat had the highest antioxidant activity and the lowest total viable bacterial counts, lipid and protein oxidation values during the shelf-life period. The 20% GP/kg DM in lamb diets, therefore, improved lamb meat shelf-life without negatively affecting sensory quality.

Effects of dietary astaxanthin supplementation on the oxidative stability of meat from suckling lambs fed a commercial milk-replacer containing butylated hydroxytoluene

Meat colour and lipid oxidative stability can be improved by adding antioxidants to animal diet. This study investigated the effects of the addition of astaxanthin to a butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)-containing commercial milk-replacer, at a rate of 25 mg of astaxanthin/kg of milk-replacer powder, on suckling lamb meat quality. Twenty newborn (2 day old) lambs allocated to individual pens were artificially reared for 22 days. Ten lambs (Control) were fed a commercial milk-replacer and the other ten (Astaxanthin) received the same milk-replacer but included astaxanthin. After the feeding trial, meat and fat colour, astaxanthin and BHT levels in meat, oxidative stability in refrigerated and frozen raw meat and refrigerated cooked meat, and meat volatiles in cooked meat were determined. Astaxanthin in artificially reared suckling lambs at the levels used reduced the accumulation of BHT in the meat, slightly affected meat colour, by reducing meat lightness and increasing meat and fat redness, and increased the lipid stability of frozen meat.