Role of natural antioxidants for favoring dual functionality in meat and poultry products

Natural food ingredients with multiple functionalities are preferred in the modern food industry as it is a way to establish the sustainability of food production with less impact on cost compared to using multiple individual ingredients. Rosemary extract is a natural antioxidant that enhances color stability, flavor profile and extends the shelf life of various food products. The present study investigates the role of rosemary extract with other natural ingredients for serving as a multifunctional component to effectively inhibit the growth of spoilage microorganisms, the development of rancidity, and discoloration in meat and poultry products. For instance, our study revealed that rosemary extract combined with acerola or green tea enhanced the color and flavor stability and increased the shelf life of meat and meat products. These combinations even outperformed synthetic counterparts such as BHA and BHT. Moreover, the formulations that possess antioxidant capabilities along with microbial spoilage inhibition in meat and poultry products are a need for the food industry from a food safety and sustainability perspective. In that scenario, our results demonstrated that rosemary extract, combined with buffered vinegar, delayed microbial spoilage growth in fresh and ground meat products in addition to provide oxidative stability and flavor stability. Additionally, rosemary extract and cultured dextrose or a combination of rosemary extract, cultured dextrose, and buffered vinegar inhibited microbial spoilage and suppressed oxidation of the cooked chicken by minimizing the formation of volatile aldehydes. Overall, the research provides insight into the combinations of rosemary extract with natural ingredients that can extend the shelf life of meat products by inhibiting microbial spoilage, enhancing flavor and color stabilities, and other antioxidant functionalities.