Potential applications of biosurfactants inanimal production and meat research

Abstract

Muscle foodsare perishable products that are subject to several contaminationssuch as microbial and/or chemical (lipid and protein oxidation)alterations, whichresult in their deterioration and quality loss.Several processing strategies are used to preserve and improve the stability, shelf-life and quality of meat and meat products, from which natural preservativeagents are gaining interest from both industrials and consumers as green and eco-friendly strategies. Amongthesenatural preservatives, biosurfactants are emergingmolecules. Their natural origin and biodegradability make them appealing for use in the food industry. In meat research, biosurfactants are of great interest asantimicrobial and antioxidant agents to reducemeat spoilage and wastage as well as for improving the shelf-life of the products. Weaimed to discuss the potentialapplications of biosurfactants with a focus on their antimicrobial and antioxidant activity withinthe objectives of reducingmeat quality deterioration and improving the image quality (acceptability by consumers) of meat and meat products. Additionally, further perspectives under the context of practical applications of biosurfactants in meat emulsification have been discussed, serving as a reference to feedknowledge gapsin this emerging topic of research.Further studies and evaluations of biosurfactants in meat research are needed to establish more evidence of their potential benefits, applicability and feasibility at a larger scale.