From 36 different plants, screened for antimicrobial acitivty in a Radial Diffusion Assay, 8 were selected for further testing in meat products. The 8 different plants (black chokeberry, blackthorn, lingonberry, redcurrant, sage, summer savory, wild garlic and horseradish) were initially tested in a meat slurry test system as single antimicrobials and in different combinations of three to four plants. The 8 plants and he most effective combinations were subsequently tested in pilot-plant produced meat products. The results and the potential use of these 8 plants for preservation of meat products is discussed.

This paper reports th escreening of 365 different plants using Radial Diffusion Assay, and subsequent testing in other Laboratory models moving closer to a real meat product. The applicability of different test models in relation to the intended use of the antimicrobial plants is discussed and the possible use of the investigated plants as replacement for sodium nitrite in meat products is reported.