Effect of rosemary essential oil and modified-atmosphere packaging (MAP) on meat quality and survival of pathogens in poultry fillets

• Published in: Brazilian journal of microbiology Vol. 46; no. 2; pp. 591 - 599
• Main Authors: Kahraman, Tolga, Issa, Ghassan, Bingol, Enver Baris, Kahraman, Beren Basaran, Dumen, Emek
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Springer Nature B.V 01-06-2015; Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia
• Subjects: Animals; Atmosphere; Food Microbiology; Food Packaging - methods; Food Preservatives - pharmacology; Food Quality; Food Storage; Lipids; Listeria monocytogenes - isolation & purification; Meat - microbiology; Meat quality; Microbial Viability; MICROBIOLOGY; Oils & fats; Oils, Volatile - pharmacology; Pathogens; Poultry; Refrigeration; Salmonella typhimurium - isolation & purification; Time Factors; modified-atmosphere packaging; poultry; rosemary; essential oil; pathogens
• ISSN: 1678-4405; 1517-8382; 1678-4405
• DOI: 10.1590/s1517-838246220131201

The effect of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) essential oil (REO) and modified-atmosphere packaging (MAP) on the survival of certain pathogens (Salmonella Typhimurium and Listeria monocytogenes) in poultry fillets and on their meat quality during 7 days of refrigerated storage were investigated. Because REO at 0.05% and 0.1% had weak antibacterial activity and REO at 0.3%, 0.5% and 1.0% imparted unacceptable organoleptic properties, only REO at 0.2% was used to treat the poultry meat. The results showed that adding 0.2% REO to poultry fillets did not reduce the size of the population of S. Typhimurium and L. monocytogenes. However, REO treatment significantly decreased the L* (lightness) value and increased the a* (redness) value of stored fillets, and adding REO in combination with MAP reduced the level of lipid oxidation. In conclusion, in a suitable combination, REO can be applied to improve the quality of meat, but further studies should be conducted to determine the appropriate commercial level for different meat products.