An Eco-Friendly Meat Preservation Approach Using Oregano (Origanum Vulgare) And Sage (Salvia Sclarea) Essential Oils Combined with Vacuum Packaging

Abstract

To extend the shelf life of vacuum-packaged turkey legs, this study examined the antibacterial effect of oregano and sage essential oils (O&SEO) heated to the same temperature as gentle scalding (53°± 1 °C for 3 minutes) on spoilage microorganisms. Air-packaged (AP, control samples), AP with oregano oil emulsion (OOE), AP with warm (53°) OOE, AP with sage oil emulsion (SOE), AP with warm (53°) SOE, vacuum-packaged (VP, control samples), VP with OOE, VP with warm (53°) OOE, VP with SOE, and VP with warm (53°) SOE are the treatments of turkeys legs used in this study. The O&SEO composition was determined by a GC/MS analysis. The turkey legs were stored under air-packaging for 20 days and VP for 28 days at 2°C ± 0.5°C. Samples microbiological quality and sensory analysis was assessed by the enumeration of psychrotrophic bacteria, Pseudomonas, Enterobacteriaceae, yeasts and molds, Lactobacillus sp., and Brochothrixthermosphacta (B. thermosphacta). Oregano and sage EOs contain carvacrol (Carv), o-Cymene (o-Cym), and Linalool (Lin). Using warmed oregano or SOE with air packing or VP extended turkey leg shelf life by 24 or 28 days by inhibiting SM. The treatment with oil emulsion and VP heated at high temperature received the greatest sensory evaluations from panellists for raw and cooked turkey leg samples. Based on these results, warmed oregano or SOE may be used as a natural preservative to extend turkey leg shelf life and microbiological shelf life.