Influence of Plant Extract Addition to Marinades on Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Formation in Grilled Pork Meat

Evaluation of ultrasound-assisted tomato sour soup marination on beef: Insights into physicochemical, sensory, microstructural, and flavour characteristics

This study evaluated the quality attributes of tomato sour soup marinade and investigated the effects of ultrasound-assisted marination on the physicochemical properties, microstructure, texture, sensory quality, and flavour profile of beef. The results showed that tomato sour soup significantly increased the marinade absorption rate and improved beef tenderloin's physicochemical properties, texture, and flavour attributes compared to static brine (P < 0.05), with organic acids playing an essential role in the marinade tenderisation process. Compared to static sour soup marination, ultrasound treatment significantly accelerated the marination process, reducing beef's shear force, hardness, and chewiness while increasing its tenderness. Microstructural observations revealed that sour soup marination induced a fragmented and irregular muscle fibre structure. Furthermore, sour soup marination significantly increased the relative concentrations of volatile flavour compounds, including alkanes, organic sulphides, alcohols, aldehydes, and aromatic compounds. Appropriate ultrasound treatment positively affects the texture and flavour characteristics of beef marinated with tomato sour soup, and the optimal approach was 320 W ultrasound treatment for 60 min. Overall, tomato sour soup improved beef's textural and flavour attributes, while ultrasound-assisted marination is an effective processing method to improve the quality of meat products.

Inhibitory effects of longan seed extract on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons formation and muscle oxidation in baked mutton kebabs

Longan seeds, rich in phenolic compounds with antioxidant properties, are an underestimated by-product of longan processing. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are carcinogenic and mutagenic, are produced during the cooking of meat products at high temperatures. The effects of different concentrations of longan seed extract (LSE, 0.2, 0.6, 1.0 mg/mL) on the formation of PAHs and muscle oxidation in mutton kebabs were investigated. Mutton kebabs were baked at 150, 200, 250 °C for 20 min, respectively, and the contents of PAHs, the degree of lipid and protein oxidation were evaluated. The results showed that LSE exhibited positive effects in inhibiting total PAHs formation (range from 14.9 to 48.8 %), decreasing the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) values (range from 17.1 to 39.1 %), reducing carbonyl content (range from 22.0 to 51.2 %) and increasing sulfhydryl content (range from 18.6 to 51.8 %). This study provided a guidance and potential solution for reducing the content of PAHs and muscle oxidation levels in baked meat.

The Effect of Type of Vegetable Fat and Addition of Antioxidant Components on the Physicochemical Properties of a Pea-Based Meat Analogue

In recent years, interest in functional foods and meat analogues has increased. This study investigated the effect of the type of vegetable fat and ingredients with antioxidant activity on the properties of a meat analogue based on textured pea protein. The possibility of using acai oil (AO), canola oil (CO) and olive oil (OO); propolis extract (P); buckwheat honey (H); and jalapeno pepper extract (JE) was investigated. The texture, colour and selected chemical parameters of plant-based burgers were analysed. Results showed that burgers from control group had the lowest hardness, while burgers with honey had the highest. The highest MUFA content was found in samples with olive oil. Samples with honey were characterised by the highest content of polyphenols, flavonoids and antioxidant capacity. The highest overall acceptability was observed in burgers from the JE-CO group. Therefore, it is possible to use selected ingredients with antioxidant activity in the recipe for a plant-based burger with high product acceptability.

Marinades Based on Natural Ingredients as a Way to Improve the Quality and Shelf Life of Meat: A Review

Marinating is a traditional method of improving the quality of meat, but it has been modified in response to consumer demand for "clean label" products. The aim of this review is to present scientific literature on the natural ingredients contained in marinades, the parameters of the marinating process, and certain mechanisms that bring about changes in meat. A review was carried out of publications from 2000 to 2023 available in Web of Science on the natural ingredients of meat marinades: fruit and vegetables, seasonings, fermented dairy products, wine, and beer. The review showed that natural marinades improve the sensory quality of meat and its culinary properties; they also extend its shelf life. They affect the safety of meat products by limiting the oxidation of fats and proteins. They also reduce biogenic amines and the formation of heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). This is possible due to the presence of biologically active substances and competitive microflora from dairy products. However, some marinades, especially those that are acidic, cause a slightly acidic flavour and an unfavourable colour change. Natural compounds in the ingredients of marinades are accepted by consumers. There are no results in the literature on the impact of natural marinades on the nutritional value and health-promoting potential of meat products, so it can be assumed that this is a future direction for scientific research.

Effects of Marinades Prepared from Food Industry By-Products on Quality and Biosafety Parameters of Lamb Meat

This study aimed to develop marinade formulas based on by-products from the dairy, berry, and fruit industries and apply them to lamb meat (LM) treatments to improve the safety and quality characteristics of the meat. To fulfil this aim, six marinade (M) formulations were created based on acid whey (AW) fermented with Lacticaseibacillus casei (Lc) and Liquorilactobacillus uvarum (Lu), either alone or combined with freeze-dried apple (AP) or blackcurrant (BC) pomace. The most appropriate fermentation times for the marinades were selected according to the lower pH values and higher viable LAB counts in the samples. Additionally, the antimicrobial activity of the selected marinades against pathogenic and opportunistic bacterial strains was tested. The characteristics of the LM were analysed after 24 and 48 h of treatment, including physicochemical, technological, and microbiological parameters, as well as overall acceptability. It was established that, after 48 h of fermentation, all of the tested marinades, except M-AWLuBC, had lactic acid bacterial counts > 8.0 log10 CFU·mL−1 and pH values < 3.74. The broadest spectra of pathogen inhibition were observed in the M-AWLuAP and M-AWLuBC marinades. The latter formulations improved the water holding capacity (WHC) and overall acceptability of the LM, while, in the LM-AWLcAP samples, histamine, cadaverine, putrescine, tryptamine, and phenylethylamine were not formed. Lastly, LM treatment with the M-AWLcAP and M-AWLuAP formulas for 48 h achieved the highest overall acceptability (9.04 and 9.43), tenderness (1.53 and 1.47 kg·cm−2) and WHC (2.95% and 3.5%) compared to the control samples.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Roasted Pork Meat and the Effect of Dried Fruits on PAH Content

Diet is one of the main factors affecting human health. The frequent consumption of heat-treated meat has been classified as both directly carcinogenic to humans and as a risk factor, especially in the case of cancers of the gastrointestinal tract. Thermally processed meat may contain harmful muta- and carcinogenic compounds, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). However, there are natural ways to reduce the risk of diet-related cancers by reducing the formation of PAHs in meat. The purpose of this study was to determine changes in PAH levels in pork loin dishes prepared by stuffing the meat with dried fruits (prunes, apricots and cranberries) and baking it in a roasting bag. High-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD) was used to conduct a quantitative analysis of seven PAHs. Recovery results ranged from 61 to 96%. The limit of detection (LOD) was 0.003 to 0.006 ng/g, and the limit of quantification (LOQ) was 0.01 to 0.02 ng/g. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) was used to confirm the presence of PAHs in food. The total PAH content of the roasted pork loin was 7.4 ng/g. This concentration decreased by 35%, 48% and 58% when the meat was roasted with apricots, prunes and cranberries, respectively. The cranberries also inhibited the formation of benzo(a)pyrene to the greatest extent. Thermally treating meat stuffed with dry fruits may be a simple and effective way to prepare foods with reduced levels of mutagens and carcinogens belonging to PAHs, and thus reduce the risk of cancer.

The Effect of Partial Substitution of Beef Tallow on Selected Physicochemical Properties, Fatty Acid Profile and PAH Content of Grilled Beef Burgers

The objective of this study was to analyze the impact of partial replacement of beef tallow with sunflower, canola, linseed, olive oil and milk fat on physical properties, oxidation stability, fatty acid profile and PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) content of beef burgers. Studies have shown a strong relationship between the fatty acid profile and the PAH content (especially of the heavy PAHs). The partial replacement of beef tallow with oils and milk fat (MF) contributed to a change in the fatty acid profile and a reduction in the hardness of the burgers. The highest PAH content was found in samples with canola oil (CO), which had the highest levels of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), and in the control group (CON) without fat substitution, which had the highest levels of saturated fatty acids (SFA) and trans conformations. Substitution of animal fat with vegetable oils contributed to a change in the color of the burgers’ surface, as there was a statistically significant increase in the L* color component and a decrease in the a* component. The burgers with canola oil (CO) and linseed oil (LO) were the most susceptible to oxidation, whereas the burgers with reduced fat content (CON_LOW FAT) were the most stable in terms of oxidation, where the malondialdehyde (MDA) content was 32.8% lower compared with the control group (CON). The studies confirm that partial replacement of beef tallow with vegetable oils and milk fat and reduction in fat content in burgers to be grilled can be an effective way to change their fatty acid profile and reduce the cyclization reaction of organic compounds leading to the formation of PAH. Correlation coefficient analysis showed that there is a relationship between fatty acid profile and the presence of selected PAHs in grilled beef burgers. The results of this study indicate that replacing beef tallow with vegetable oils is a promising approach in designing meat products with controlled PAH content.