The effects of plant additives used in meatball production on the development of oxidation, microbiological and sensory characteristics and heterocyclic amine (HCA) formation

Abstract

Oxidation and microbial growth are the most important factors affecting the quality and shelf life of meat and meat products. The oxidation occur in the product induces taste, texture and color deteriorations as well as generation of harmful components to health. Microbial growth causes food spoilage while food-borne diseases can occur when pathogenic microorganisms grow in the product. Antioxidant and antimicrobial additives are widely used to prevent these changes in meat and meat products. Due to health concerns in recent years, there has been a significant increase in the use of natural additives, especially plant additives, instead of synthetic additives in meat products. It has been determined that some plant additives used in meatball type meat products also have a preventive effect on the formation of heterocyclic amines (HCA) that considered as mutagenic-carcinogenic compounds formed in meat products cooked at high temperatures. Many researchers reported that the natural additives such as rosemary, thyme, green tea, artichoke, grape seed, olive, clove reduce quality losses and improve microbiological quality. In this study, the studies investigating the effects of using plant-derived antioxidant and antimicrobial additives on the chemical, microbiological, sensory properties of the meatball and the effects of the formation of Heterocyclic amine (HCA) are presented.