INFLUENCE OF FRUIT AND BERRY INGREDIENTS ON THE MICROBIOLOGICAL INDICATORS OF NATURAL SEMI-FINISHED PRODUCTS

<ns0:p>The article investigates the antimicrobial efficacy of natural ingredients – cranberry powder, blackcurrant, and balsamic vinegar in the technology of marinated meat semi-finished products from game meat. The aim of this work was to assess the effect of natural marinades on the microbiological indicators of marinated meat semi-finished products, specifically on the level of total microbial contamination, the presence of bacteria belonging to the Escherichia coli group, staphylococci, as well as pathogenic microorganisms such as Salmonella spp.Samples of natural semi-finished products were made from the thigh part of wild boar meat, with the addition of cranberry powder in the first sample, blackcurrant in the second, and balsamic vinegar in the third. The control sample was taken without the addition of marinade. The number of mesophilic aerobic and facultative anaerobic microorganisms was determined in the studied samples, which on the first day was 2.3 × 106 CFU/g. in the control sample, 2.8 × 106 CFU/g. - the first, 9.7 × 105 CFU/g. - the second and 4.6 × 105 CFU/g. - the third sample, on the fifth day in the control sample - 7.9 × 107 CFU/g., the first - 1.2 × 108 CFU/g., the second - 7.1 × 107 CFU/g., the third - 3.0 × 107 CFU/g. The samples did not contain bacteria of the Escherichia coli group (coliforms) at 1.0 g, sulfite-reducing clostridia at 0.01 g, and pathogenic microorganisms, particularly bacteria of the genus Salmonella, at 25.0 g, both at the beginning and at the end of storage. The research confirmed the effectiveness of the use and inhibitory properties of balsamic vinegar, blackcurrant, and cranberry powders in the technology of natural semi-finished game meat products. The study's results showed that using marinades based on berries with a high content of phenolic compounds and organic acids leads to a significant reduction in the microbial load. The data obtained indicate the potential for using natural antimicrobial components to enhance microbiological safety and extend the shelf life of semi-finished game meat products.</ns0:p>