The Effect of Hot Aqueous Extract of Salvadora persica Roots on Microbial Load and Sensory Properties of Minced Meatballs

This study aimed to investigate the effect of the hot aqueous extract of Salvadora persica (miswak) roots on the preservation of minced meatballs. The research was conducted to evaluate the impact of adding the plant extract on improving the quality and sensory properties of refrigerated meatballs stored at 4°C. Additionally, the study examined the effect of the extract on microbial tests. Four different treatments were included: TC (control), T1 (0.05% hot aqueous root extract), T2 (0.1% extract), and T3 (0.15% extract). The treatments were stored for 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11 days. The addition of Salvadora persica root extract to minced meat showed a noticeable effect in all treated samples, contributing to a reduction in total bacterial counts, which reached 8.5, 6.5, 6.3, and 6.4 log cycles, respectively. Psychrophilic bacterial counts were 7.9, 5.3, 5.1, and 5.2 log cycles, respectively. Furthermore, the extract improved the sensory properties of the refrigerated meat compared to the control (TC). The treatments with Salvadora persica root extract (T1, T2, T3) at concentrations of 0.05%, 0.1%, and 0.15% showed less deterioration compared to the control sample (TC).