Meat spoilage from microbial contamination and lipid oxidation challenges food safety and shelf life worldwide, driving demand for natural alternatives to synthetic preservatives. Methanolic, ethanolic, and acetonic extracts of Artemisia dracunculus L. (tarragon) aerial parts were prepared by maceration and characterized for their physicochemical and phytochemical composition. Antioxidant activity was assessed by DPPH, FRAP, and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) assays, and antibacterial activity was evaluated against five reference bacterial strains. The ethanolic extract (10–100 % v/v) was then applied to refrigerated minced beef for five days, with bacterial populations monitored at days 3 and 5 and pH, lipid oxidation, and color monitored at days 0, 3, and 5. The acetone extract showed the highest total polyphenol content (139.90 mg GAE/g DE), flavonoid content (24.19 mg QE/g DE), and total antioxidant capacity (271.53 mg GAE/g DE). All three extracts displayed broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative strains. In minced beef, the ethanolic extract reduced total aerobic mesophilic flora by 4.1 log CFU/g and Staphylococcus aureus to 1.5 log CFU/g at 100 % concentration by day 5, while thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were reduced by 61.5 % relative to the untreated control. Meat redness (a*) was better preserved throughout storage in treated samples. These results demonstrate that A. dracunculus extracts, and the ethanolic extract in particular, possess significant biopreservative potential and constitute a viable natural alternative for extending the shelf life of refrigerated minced beef.
Rising maize prices and increasing competition caused by rising human food demand are forcing poultry producers to seek alternative energy sources. Newly released grain sorghum varieties in western Ethiopia may serve as a viable substitute, but their effects on laying hen performance and profitability need assessment. To assess the effects of replacing maize with a recently introduced sorghum variety (Assosa‑1) on feed intake, body weight change, feed conversion efficiency, egg production, egg quality, and economic return in Bovans Brown laying hens. A 90‑day feeding trial was conducted at Assosa Agricultural Research Station using a Completely Randomized Design with three treatments (also called as trials) and three batches. A total of 180 Bovans Brown layers of similar age and an average initial body weight of 1,678.35 g were randomly assigned to three diets: maize-based diet in the control group (T1), the group with diet based on sorghum Assosa‑1 completely replacing maize (T2), and the group that received a diet with 50 % maize and 50 % Assosa‑1 (T3). Data were collected on dry matter intake, body weight, egg production performance, feed efficiency, egg quality traits, and partial budget calculation. Dry matter intake and body weight change did not differ between the groups T1 and T2. Hen-day egg production and feed conversion efficiency favored the sorghum diet (T2) over the control group. Yolk weight was higher in the group T2, while albumen weight was highest in the group T3. Economic analysis showed that T2 provided the greatest financial return. The improved grain sorghum variety Assosa‑1 can effectively replace maize in diets of Bovans Brown layers without negative effects on feed intake, body weight, or egg quality, while improving egg production performance and feed conversion efficiency. Using the locally released sorghum varieties as a maize substitute can reduce feed cost, improve profitability, and support sustainable livestock and food production in maize-challenged regions.
Beef liver-meat paste was a diversified ready-to-eat food product. Packaging, storage temperature, and storage duration were important factors to consider in assessment of ready-to-eat food products quality. The study was aimed to analyze the stability of malondyaldehyde (MDA) content, antioxidant activity, and microbiological quality of beef liver-meat paste packaged in retort pouches during its storage. The spices used in this study is stew seasoning spices mixture with the addition of apple. The liver and meat are cooked with stew spices for 20 minutes at 70–75 °C, then pureed with the apples for 5 minutes in a food processor, and then packaged in a retort pouch, sterilized using an autoclave at 110 °C for 5 minutes. The product was stored at chilled and frozen temperatures for 14 days. This study was designed using a completely randomized design (CRD) with a 2 × 3 factorial pattern, consisting of two different temperatures and three different storage durations, with three production periods. Using of antioxidant-rich spice seasonings in beef liver-meat paste products in retort pouch packaged and stored under chilled and frozen conditions effectively ensures food product quality stability; this is evidenced by MDA content that remains below the rancidity threshold, sustained high antioxidant activity, and microbiological quality remaining within safe limits throughout the storage period.
Consuming a food product that contains beneficial microorganisms provides a wide range of health benefits, starting from improved digestion and support of intestinal microflora and to an impact on metabolism, improving immune system and normalizing psychological and emotional status. The purpose of this article is to systematize and evaluate the results of experimental studies conducted over the past ten years on using of probiotic cultures in the dry fermented sausage manufacturing technology, including the casting, selection and adaptation of probiotic strains to meat systems. The influence of probiotics on recipes and process parameters was studied. An analysis of research results conducted in various countries shows that the strategy of combining the advantages of controlled fermentation with potential health benefits for consumers is of the greatest interest. Meat technologies make it possible to produce and reliably preserve fermented sausages with a probiotic content of 10 6 –10 8 CFU/g, even during long-cycle production and subsequent storage. Moreover, the probiotic effect of consuming 30 g of fermented meat products per day is evident even with a probiotic content of less than 10 6 CFU/g. The observed trends in the recipe composition of fermented sausages, aimed at reducing fat and sodium content, underline the striving of the scientists from various countries to make this type of food product more adapted to the modern dietary requirements. Another promising area of research is the casting and selection of probiotic strains for their using in the specialized starter cultures, as well as the development of technological standards for fermentation processes where those cultures are involved. The results of this study prove the feasibility of implementing a technology for the production of probiotic fermented sausages, which will enable the market to offer a fully functional food product.
A strategic research focus on fat modification in meat products aims to improve nutritional quality and lower health hazards related to consumption of cholesterol and saturated fat. The high percentage of animal fat found in conventional meat products is linked to a higher risk of metabolic disorders such as obesity, atherosclerosis, and cardiometabolic syndrome. Thus, it is now crucial for the modern food business to create fat reformulation techniques that preserve sensory and functional qualities while enhancing the lipid profile. This study intends to assess different fat modification technologies in meat products, such as using oleogels and structured lipids, using fiber-and protein-based fat mimetics, and replacing animal fat with vegetable oils. This review also looks at how reformulation affects texture, emulsion stability, lipid oxidation, nutritional composition, and consumer sensory acceptability. Using keywords associated with fat modification and meat reformulation technology, a literature search was carried out in the PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. Publications from 2000 to 2026 were analyzed. The synthesis results show that fat modification, especially utilizing oleogelation techniques and stable emulsion systems, has the ability to boost unsaturated fatty acids and decrease saturated fat content without sacrificing sensory quality. Nonetheless, many formulations continue to encounter difficulties, such as altered texture and heightened oxidation susceptibility. All things considered, the development of lipid innovations in meat products presents the industry with substantial opportunity to create healthier goods without sacrificing quality, as well as to promote sustainable food reformulation and public health initiatives.
