Strawberry-enriched marination pre-treatment as a natural strategy to enhance the oxidative stability, tenderness, and microbiological safety of sous vide poultry and bovine meats

Abstract This study investigated the effects of strawberry-based marination combined with sous vide (SV) cooking on the quality characteristics of poultry and bovine meats, including chicken, rooster, beef, and heifer. The experimental design consisted of two treatments for each meat type: a control marinade without strawberries and a strawberry-enriched marinade, followed by vacuum packaging and SV cooking at 80 °C for 40 min. Physicochemical properties (pH, moisture, water-holding capacity, cooking and drip losses, lipid oxidation), microbiological safety, microstructural features, and sensory attributes were evaluated. The inclusion of strawberries reduced marinade pH from 4.90 to 3.63 and significantly lowered meat pH values (5.39–5.42) compared to control treatments, influencing water retention and cooking behavior. Moisture content ranged from 64.70% to 75.03%, with strawberry-marinated samples generally exhibiting higher cooking loss but improved oxidative stability, as indicated by reduced TBA. Strawberry-based marination, regardless of meat type, resulted in below detection limits of total mesophilic aerobic bacteria, coliforms, psychrophilic bacteria, and yeast–mold following SV cooking, whereas raw meats exhibited microbial loads up to 5.54 log CFU/g. Microstructural analysis revealed that strawberry-marinated SV samples exhibited more compact and homogeneous muscle fiber structures, which were associated with improved texture perception. Sensory evaluation confirmed that strawberry-treated meats received higher scores for color, flavor, and overall acceptability, particularly in bovine samples. Overall, the results demonstrate that strawberry-enriched marination combined with sous vide cooking enhances microbial safety, oxidative stability, and sensory quality across different meat types, supporting its potential as a natural and clean-label processing strategy for value-added meat products.