Ensuring the food and biological safety of meat and meat-containing products from microbial contamination

Ensuring the safety and quality of meat products is vital due to their susceptibility to lipid oxidation and microbiological contamination, and poses challenges for public health and industry standards. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of plant-derived natural antioxidants in prolonging the shelf-life and maintaining the quality of beef products. Emulsions derived from CO2 extracts of calendula, ginger, St. John’s wort, green tea, and red pepper were evaluated for their efficacy in inhibiting lipid oxidation and microbial proliferation through a combination of experimental and microbiological investigations. The findings indicated that green tea displayed the greatest antioxidant activity among the evaluated plant extracts. The optimum dose of the emulsion, established at 0.8–1%, significantly mitigated lipid oxidation, controlled hydrolytic and oxidative degradation, and preserved the flavor, aroma, and color of meat products. This underscores the potential of plant-based emulsions as natural alternatives for enhancing the safety and shelf-life of meat.