Challenge of green tea essential oil in mitigation of Candida albicans contamination in minced beef

The meat industry has continuously adjusted its technology to create meat products that are healthier and/or more functional in response to consumer knowledge of the impact of food on health. Candida albicans (C. albicans) is one of the opportunistic yeasts that cause spoilage of meat and meat products and might cause a foodborne diarrhea. The use of natural essential oils, which have antifungal activities, is one way to find a solution. This study investigated the antifungal activities and sensory contribution of green tea essential oil (Camellia sinensis) at concentrations of 0.5%, 1% and 1.5% against C. albicans experimentally inoculated to minced meat at a cold storage. The obtained results indicated that green tea essential oil at all tested concentrations significantly reduced C. albicans counts in the experimentally inoculated beef mince. The used green tea essential oil concentrations could enhance the sensory attributes of the minced meat and extend the shelf life of the beef mince to 12 days compared to the untreated samples which spoiled on the 6th day of cold storage. Therefore, it is highly recommended to use green tea essential oil to extend the shelf life of the minced meat and to reduce C. albicans count.