Nano-Encapsulated Essential Oils as a Preservation Strategy for Meat and Meat Products Storage

Abstract

Consumers today demand the use of natural additives and preservatives in all fresh and processed foods, including meat and meat products. Meat, however, is highly susceptible to oxidation and microbial growth that cause rapid spoilage. Essential oils are natural preservatives used in meat and meat products. While they provide antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, they also present certain disadvantages, as their intense flavor can affect the sensory properties of meat, they are subject to degradation under certain environmental conditions, and have low solubility in water. Different methods of incorporation have been tested to address these issues. Solutions suggested to date include nanotechnological processes in which essential oils are encapsulated into a lipid or biopolymer matrix that reduces the required dose and allows the formation of modified release systems. This review focuses on recent studies on applications of nano-encapsulated essential oils as sources of natural preservation systems that prevent meat spoilage. The studies are critically analyzed considering their effectiveness in the nanostructuring of essential oils and improvements in the quality of meat and meat products by focusing on the control of oxidation reactions and microbial growth to increase food safety and ensure innocuity.

Chemical composition, organoleptic, physicochemical, and antibacterial properties of three plants of the lamiaceae family on Escherichia Coli strains

“…Incorporating essential oils into meat has contributed to maintaining microbiological quality and reducing lipid oxidation beyond its normal storage duration. Chemical preservatives are authorized additives that industrialists use to extend the consumption period of foods [69,70] and the action of chemical preservatives is not unlimited over time. After a few weeks, foods eventually change due to oxygen and microorganisms.…”

Time-Dependent Effects of Caraway Essential Oil on the Total Antioxidant Capacity of Rapeseed, Olive, and Grapeseed Oils

“…Understanding how natural additives such as essential oils affect antioxidant capacity over time can inform strategies for preserving the quality and extending the shelf life of edible oils. This knowledge is essential for the food industry to maintain product integrity and safety (Ojeda-Piedra et al, 2022;Teshome et al, 2022). Research into their time-dependent antioxidant effects can contribute to the development of environmentally friendly solutions for food preservation in line with the sustainability goals of the food industry.…”

“…Antioxidants play a crucial role in inhibiting or retarding oxidative processes by scavenging free radicals and stabilising lipid molecules, thereby extending the shelf life and preserving the sensory properties of edible oils (Serafini and Peluso, 2016;Petcu et al, 2023). In recent years, there has been growing interest in the use of essential oils as natural antioxidants to extend the shelf life and improve the stability of edible oils (Stevanović et al, 2018;Sharma et al, 2021;Ojeda-Piedra et al, 2022;Matera et al, 2023). Among these essential oils, caraway essential oil (CEO) has attracted attention due to its potent antioxidant properties and potential applications in food preservation (Mohsenzadeh, 2007).…”

Application of combined essential oils and bacteriocins encapsulated in gelatin for bio‐preservation of meatballs

“…Gelatin is a protein derived from animal skin, bones, and connective tissues of animals. It has been used as an encapsulating material for EOs such as clove oils (Thimma & Tammishetti, 2003), camphor oils (Chang et al, 2006), citronella oils (Solomon et al, 2012), peppermint oils (Dong et al, 2011), and Eugenol (Wan et al, 2020) due to its biodegradability, biocompatibility, nontoxicity, and low cost (Ojeda‐Piedra et al, 2022; Sutaphanit & Chitprasert, 2014; Zhang et al, 2020). However, there has been no report on the encapsulation of a mixture of EOs and bacteriocins in gelatin for prolonging the shelf‐life of meat.…”