Natural antioxidants for meat preservation
Antioxidants are sometimes added to fresh and processed meat and meat products to prevent lipid oxidation (decomposition), stop the development of off-flavours and improve colour stability.
To meet consumer demand for more natural products, food manufacturers are moving towards replacing synthetic antioxidants with natural ingredients such as plant extracts, herbs, spices and essential oils.
In an article in Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), authors from Punjab Agricultural University in India looked at numerous studies to identify 27 natural ingredients that can be used as antioxidants in meat and meat products.
The chart below highlights 10 of the more well-known natural ingredients and the type of meat they can be used to preserve:
| Natural ingredient | Meat/meat products |
|---|---|
| Mustard leaf kimchi extract | Refrigerated raw ground pork |
| Oregano essential oils | Raw and cooked cow meat |
| Sage essential oils | Raw and cooked cow meat |
| Curry | Raw and cooked cow meat |
| Carrot juice | Irradiated beef sausage |
| Pomegranate juice extract | Cooked chicken patties |
| Kimchi extracts | Cooked ground pork |
| Grape antioxidant fibre | Raw and cooked chicken burger |
| Green tea extract | Dry spicy sausage |
| Oregano extract | Irradiated beef burger |
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