Application Trial of Essential Oil Extracted from <i>Citrus aurantium</i> in Food Products (Minced Meat)

Abstract In recent years, humans have turned to herbal remedies to solve a variety of problems, both food-related and health-related. Synthetic food preservatives are now restricted in many developed countries because of their irreversible effects on the body. Therefore, the present study is an important contribution to the search for new beneficial preservatives from plants. The Citrus aurantium plant is widely used by the people of the Relizane region for therapeutic and culinary purposes. The extraction of essential oils from the fruit of this plant by hydro-distillation gave a yield of 0.09 ± 0.01%. The relative density at 20°C, the acid value, the ester value and the saponification value are in the order of 0.69 ±0.1, 44 ±3.0 mg KOH/g oil, 2.75 ± 0.5 mg KOH/g oil and 46.75 ± 5.1 mg KOH/g oil respectively. GC/MS analysis revealed the predominance of linalool (43 ± 1.5%) followed by limonene (19 ± 3%). In contrast, no alterations were detected in sample 3 in terms of odour, appearance and colour. A low number of total aerobic mesophilic flora (2×10 4 CFU/g) was recorded in the same sample, followed by sample 2 (4!!!x0020;× 10 4 CFU/g) and sample 1 (6 × 10 6 CFU/g). A total absence of Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus in samples 3 and 2. While sample 1 appeared spoiled due to the presence of a load of 10 4 CFU/g of Salmonella. The Citrus aurantium essential oils appear to be a natural preservative that can be used and incorporated into many perishable food preparations.