Innovative approaches to enhancing meat product integrity with natural antioxidants and encapsulation

The quality and stability of meat products are crucial for consumer acceptance and safety. Lipid oxidation, color changes, and microbial spoilage are primary factors affecting meat quality, leading to a reduction in shelf life and nutritional value. Natural antioxidants have emerged as promising alternatives to synthetic antioxidants due to their safety and health benefits. However, their application is limited by their stability and efficacy under various processing and storage conditions. Encapsulation techniques have been developed to enhance the stability and controlled release of natural antioxidants in meat products. This review provides an overview of the latest advancements in the use of natural antioxidants and encapsulation technologies to improve meat product quality and stability. Recent studies, their outcomes, and future perspectives are discussed.