Citrus Marinades as a Natural Strategy to Improve the Physicochemical Quality and Safety of Grilled Meat: A Review

Grilled meat is one of the most popular food products, characterized by its distinctive flavor and content of animal protein that provides beneficial effects for health. The grilling process presents challenges in the formation of potentially carcinogenic compounds such as heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAA) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). Natural citrus-based marinades offer great potential in improving the quality and safety of grilled meat. Citrus fruits contain organic acids, polyphenols, and flavonoids, which have antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, thus influencing quality changes during grilling. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of citrus-based marinades in improving the physicochemical quality and safety of grilled meat. A review was carried out of publications from 2015 to 2025 available in online databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, and ScienceDirect regarding the effect of citrus marination on improving the physicochemical quality and safety of grilled meat. The review indicate that application of citrus-based marinades affects the physicochemical characteristics and safety aspects of meat products by limiting fat oxidation during the grilling process. Bioactive compounds in citrus fruits are effective in reducing the formation of carcinogenic compounds during the grilling process. The study results showed that the use of a 15% lemon-based marinade resulted in undetectable PAHs, while increasing the tenderness of the grilled meat.The conclusion of this study demonstrates that citrus-based marination is an effective natural approach for improving the physicochemical quality and enhancing the safety of grilled meat products, making it a relevant application in food processing that prioritizes product quality and safety.