Literature review

Food quality for human consumption the bacteriological analysis was carried out in a prospective
study in collaboration with National Institute of Health, Islamabad. The surveillance work was
conducted during the months of July to August peak summer season to evaluate the objective
parameters for assessment of the bacteriological and hygienic status of food being consumed in
the peri-urban area of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Out of a total of 91 samples, the various
bacterial contaminants such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, fungal
species were isolated and identified using standard cultural and biochemical methods (Shah et
al., 2012).It was observed that in total food samples, 25.5% were positive for E. coli, 16.6% for
S. aureus and 11.1% for Salmonella species. This study highlighted the poor hygienic
conditions for the food quality standards in the area of investigation. It was concluded that
the food related endemic health concerns can be checked by taking appropriate preventive
measures to forestall the outbreaks of gastroenteritis and food poisoning in the future as a serious
health problem (Yasin et al., 2012)

Microbial analysis is essential part of food safety. Confidence in the safety and integrity of the
food supply is an important requirement for consumers. For the evaluation we used following
confectionary items such as Dairy milk, Jam, Jelly, biscuit (Parle-G, Priya gold, and Britannia).
For microbiological test all sample were used in triplate form. Specific media were used for
identification of different microbes (Yeast, Mould, Bacteria). For the identification and microbial
analysis TPC, PDA, Macconkey media were used and for confirmation of gram positive bacteria
gram staining have done. Number of gram positive seen in jelly and Mould was seen in biscuit.
Aim of our studies were compare specified confectionary product and find out the amount of
microbes found in all confectionary products and also compare all on the basis of microbes
presence in all confectionary products (Gupta et al., 2013).

Foodborne pathogens pose a great health risk globally. This study was conducted to examine the
prevalence of deadly food contaminants like Salmonella spp, Listeria monocytogenes,
Campylobacter jejuni and E. coli (O157:H7) in various types of food items consumed locally.
Total of 800 most common food samples such as chicken, beef meat, raw milk, vegetables and
salad samples were collected from retail market, the overall contamination of food samples with
infectious agents was 48.37%. Clostridium jejuni  was recorded much higher (28.99%) compared
to other foodborne pathogens. Food samples were also found positive
for Salmonella  spp. (19%), E. coli (O157:H7) (8%) and 1.25% for Listeria monocytogenes. 5%
tested food samples were found co-infected with at least two pathogens. The results urge to adopt
proper food hygiene practices to reduce the incidence of food-borne diseases (Samad et al.,
2018).

Microbial evaluation plays a very important role in food quality evaluation. By providing
spectral information relevant to microbial attributes, spectroscopy technology has been
introduced and applied for microbial quality evaluation of food products in a rapid and non-
destructive way. By mining different range spectral data with appropriate chemo metrics (He and
Sun 2015).

This Study was carried out on 40 random samples of cooked chicken products represented by
chicken luncheon and Shawerma (20 of each). Samples were collected from different markets at
Al-Taif governorate, KSA. And subjected to some microbiological investigations; including
determination of total aerobic plate, Enterobacteriacae spp, E.coli, Staph.spp. Staphylococcus
aureus bacterial count, mold and yeast count (Sabra, 2012).

An incident of food borne poisoning causing illness in 43 victims due to ingestion of swordfish
fillets occurred in December, 2004, in Taichung Prefecture, central Taiwan. Eight frozen raw
swordfish fillets were collected from the suspected restaurant and analyzed for bacterial content
and histamine-related quality. The levels of aerobic plate count, total coliform, and total volatile
basic nitrogen in all samples ranged from 5.39 to 6.71 log CFU/g, <3–1360 most probable
number (MPN)/g, and 6.44–14.56 mg/100 g, respectively. None of these samples
contained Escherichia coli. The suspected swordfish fillets contained 85.9–293.7 mg/100 g of
histamine greater than the hazard action level of 50 mg/100 g set by the US. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) for tuna fish. Given the allergy-like symptoms of the victims and the high
histamine content in the suspected swordfish fillets, this food borne poisoning was strongly
suspected to be due to histamine intoxication. In addition, although ten histamine-producing
bacteria strains, capable of producing 12.7–33.0 ppm of histamine in trypticase soy broth
supplemented with 1.0% L-histidine, were identified as Staphylococcus sp. (one strain), S.
aureus (two strains) and S. aureus sub sp. aureus (seven strains), by 16S rDNA sequencing with
PCR amplification, they were not determined to be the main contributors to histamine
accumulation in suspected swordfish fillets (Chang et al., 2008).

A comparison between the total viable counts on plates incubated at 30 °C (representing the
mesophiles) and at 22 °C (indicating the psychrotrophs) for 86 food samples covering a wide
range – ready-to-eat vegetable salads, fresh raw meat, cooked meat products and composite food
– showed that a consistent underestimation of the microbial load occurs when the total aerobic
mesophilic counts are used as a shelf-life parameter. This study highlights the potential fallacy of
the total aerobic mesophilic count as a reference shelf-life parameter for chilled food products as
it can often underestimate the contamination levels at the end of the shelf-life (Pothakos et al.,
2012).

Meat and meat products are among the most important edible commodities originating from
cattle, poultry and fishes. They serve as an ideal medium for the growth of many organisms due
to increased water activity, favorable pH and higher concentrations of proteins, minerals, growth
factors, fermentable carbohydrates, e.t.c (Zafar,2016).

To control the food-borne illnesses and to keep the microbial load of raw meat in check, the food
safety requirements should be followed strictly in accordance with HACCP (Hazard analysis
critical control point), but in developing countries like Pakistan, the abattoir environment, its
sanitary level, and transportation and storage conditions not only contaminate but also enhance
the growth of different types of spoilage as well as pathogenic bacteria in meat (Ali et al.,2010).

Almost all participants (95%) reported confidence that their pets' raw meat–based food is safe.
Two-thirds of respondents (67%) reported that they had researched food safety information
regarding raw meat–based feeding, yet only 8% asked a veterinarian for food safety advice.
Respondents were aware of pathogens that may be present in raw meat–based diets and of food
safety practices; however, they did not report consistent implementation of appropriate food
safety practices. Malpractices, such as rinsing of raw meat (27%) and absence of segregation of
utensils and kitchen surfaces (52%), were reported. The risk to pet owners of foodborne illness
associated with raw meat–based feeding was perceived to be low by 89% of pet owners.
Participants perceived low susceptibility to foodborne illness but high self-efficacy, which may
be an indication of optimistic bias. This study has identified a need to increase pet owners'
awareness of the possible risks to human health associated with raw meat–based feeding of
animals (Bulochova et al., 2021).

Salmonella spp. and Staphylococcus aureus are two of the most common foodborne bacteria in

ASF. Salmonella is a genus of Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacteria with a facultative
metabolism. There are two common ASF-associated species of Salmonella, including S.
enterica and S. bongori, with almost all S.enterica associated with human
salmonellosis. Salmonella spp. cause a variety of diseases in humans and animals. Non-
typhoidal Salmonella are among the most important causes of diarrheal in humans, contributing
to an estimated 230,000 deaths annually. Salmonella spp. can contaminate fresh meat during
slaughter or processing, handling, and during selling at the markets. In livestock, such as pigs
and chickens, Salmonella spp. colonization can be subclinical and difficult to detect by animal
inspectors before slaughter but may contaminate carcasses and infect humans via consumption
(Rortana et al., 2021).
Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive bacterium regarded as human commensal. It is
also an opportunistic pathogen that can cause a broad spectrum of infections, from superficial
skin infections to severe, and potentially fatal, invasive disease. S. aureus and some of the
coagulase-positive staphylococci (CPS) species are human pathogens, causing a wide range of
clinical signs, including foodborne illness, by its wide range of enterotoxins production (Rortana
et al., 2021).

Salmonella has long presented a major problem for the food safety of broiler meat. As the
popularity of alternatively produced (e.g. organic) broiler meat increases, an understanding of the
food safety risks associated with these types of products is needed. The purpose of this study was
to develop a retail-to-consumption quantitative microbial risk assessment model that could be
used to estimate the differences in risk of salmonellosis acquired from the consumption of
conventionally and alternatively produced broiler meat in the United States annually(Golden and
Mishra 2021).

Contaminated poultry is the major vehicle for consumer's exposure to Campylobacter. To

perceive potential cross-contamination events during preparation of raw poultry that can
contribute to the spread of Campylobacter spp. in domestic kitchen environments.
Campylobacter strains in the domestic environment through the preparation of chicken meat and
the need to raise awareness among consumers for an appropriate handling of raw poultry in order
to decrease the risk of campylobacteriosis (Cardoso et al., 2021).

asures and consumers are at risk of bacterial contamination which can lead to gastroenteritis and
other foodborne illnesses. The main sources of bacterial contamination are dirty utensils, impure
and substandard cooking oil, and unhygienic practices by vendors (Asiegbu et al., 2016). Often,
running tap water is not available at the foot carts, and utensils are washed in a bucket filled with
water (Kim et al., 2018).

Food-borne pathogens isolated from meat samples included Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria,
Salmonella Enteritidis and Shigella species whereas environmental samples yielded
Staphylococcus aureus and Shigella species. Four strains of Brucella species were also isolated
from meat samples. Total aerobic counts ranged between 108 –1010 CFU/g or cm2 . Resistance
to a wide range of antibiotics was observed. Resistance rates to ampicillin, amoxicillin,
novobiocin and cefaclor were from 62 to 75% in general. Thirty-three percent of Salmonella
isolates were resistant to ampicillin. No quinolone resistance was observed. Biofilm formation
was observed among 88 (16%) pathogenic bacteria including E. coli, Klebsiella, Enterobacter
species and Staphylococcus aureus. Conclusions: Food-borne pathogens found in retail shops
could be sources for horizontal contamination of meat. Our data confirm the circulation of
antibiotic resistant and biofilm forming pathogens in raw meat and its environment in retail
shops in Pakistan, which could play a role in the spread of antimicrobial resistance amongst
food-borne bacteria (Hassan et al., 2010).

Salmonellosis, listeriosis and yersiniosis are some of the most common food-borne zoonoses
monitored by the European Food Safety Authority and the interaction with pets fed raw meat
numbers among the infection risk factors Furthermore, emerging issues of Clostridium difficile
infections in pets and humans and the reported isolation of these pathogens from raw meat for
human consumption in many European countries raise the question of whether RMBDs might be
noteworthy sources of exposure. Indeed, since dogs and cats can become carriers of pathogenic
bacteria and spread them through their faeces, RMBDs pose a risk also to the people who handle
the contaminated ingredients and who come into contact with subclinically infected pets Major
concerns arise especially for individuals with impaired or weakened immune systems (i.e.
children, chronically ill people, elderly people and pregnant women) because such category of
individuals is more susceptible to developing food-borne infections (Morelli et al., 2020).

Contaminated food products have been reported to be responsible for numerous food borne
diseases all around the world. Microbial contaminants have been shown to be present in a wide
variety of food products, especially in raw meat. For this reason, their isolation and detection in
food is crucial for the safety of public health. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the
microbiological quality of different meat samples including chicken, mutton and beef. Thirty
(30) meat samples were purchased from different local meat retailer shops in Karachi. These
samples were analyzed for their total aerobic count, total coliform count, fecal coliforms and
Salmonellae according to standard methods. Examination of meat samples revealed that almost
all samples were unfit for human consumption due to the presence of high aerobic count,
coliforms, fecal coliforms and Salmonella spp. The average aerobic count log10cfu/g of chicken,
mutton and beef samples was 6.67, 6.38 and 7.05 respectively. Out of 30 samples, 29 were
heavily contaminated with coliforms and among them 26 were positive for fecal coliforms. The
results also showed that 13 out of 30 meat samples were positive for Salmonella using
conventional and PCR methods. The microbiological quality of meat was associated with
handling and processing in unhygienic conditions. It was concluded that the food industry and
regulatory authorities concerning food safety should take better control measures to improve
food hygiene and prevent the contamination of food to maintain public health status and also
control the rate of incidence of food borne diseases (Zafar et al., 2016).

In Ethiopia, the demand for meat products is dramatically increasing, and the consumption of
raw meat becomes a symbol of status. The same authors further noted that around 30% of the
national meat consumption share is in Addis Ababa. However, the full value chain of meat
supply from abattoirs, distribution, butchery shops to final consumers are not properly handled to
ensure the microbial quality, safety, soundness, wholesomeness, and hygiene. In addition, there
is no adequate information regarding the assessment of food safety practice, food-borne diseases,
and microbial load on meat contact surfaces of meat-processing materials in butchery shops on a
regular basis. These factors could hinder government and other stockholders to accurately apply
measures on the impact of food contamination problems to public health. Generally, microbial
contamination in food-processing plants can play a basic role in food quality and safety. The
consumers have also limited information on quality and safety of the meat consumed regularly;
moreover, raw meat is a highly perishable product. Therefore, this study was focused on
determining the hygienic status and microbial load and identifying food-borne pathogens from
minced meat and contact surfaces of meat-processing materials in the butcher shops in Addis
Ababa, Ethiopia (Zerabruk et al., 2019).

Microbiological contamination status of raw beef distributed in Korea, and evaluate the
suitability of current aerobic plate count (APC) guidelines. We analyzed five years (2010-2014)
of microbiological monitoring data obtained from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and
investigated the microbiological status of raw beef collected from meat packing centers and meat
shops in the Seoul/Gyeonggi, Gangwon, and Chungcheong regions in August 2015. From 2010-
2014, most raw beef (>94%) displayed APC levels of < 1.0 × 10 6 CFU/g. However, raw beef
samples collected from all three regions in August 2015 had comparatively higher APC levels
than those reported in previous years. To evaluate the relationship between the APC level and
quality, changes in beef loin were evaluated during cold storage for 15 days at 4°C. On day 11,
the mean APC level (4.7 × 106 CFU/g) conformed to current guidelines in Korea (1.0 ×
107 CFU/g) and the pH value was 5.82. However, the sensory evaluation score for color and
overall acceptability was under 3.0, meaning that the beef loin was not acceptable for eating.
These results suggest that current APC guideline for raw beef should be lowered to 1.0 ×
106 CFU/g to improve both the microbiological safety and palatability of raw beef (Kim et al.,
2018).

The most important factor contributing to source and level of microbial contamination for
ground beef and retail cuts was from incoming raw materials obtained from different suppliers of
beef. Microbial testing for beef products and the environment is an important tool for identifying
and monitoring potential hazards as part of HACCP and GMP program development (Bantawa et
al., 2018).

INTRODUCTION
Bacterial spoilage of meat depends on the initial number of
microorganism, time/temperature combination of storage
conditions and physicochemical properties of meat
(Doulgeraki et al. 2012). Mostly, contamination occurs
because of inadequate hygienic conditions and handling in
slaughterhouses (Schlegelova et al. 2004), moreover the
attachment properties and the biofilm formation of bacteria
on surfaces facilitate cross-contamination
Bacterial contamination during slaughtering process is a safety problem and
concern for shelf life in meat production. We compare two different slaughter
lines, sheep and cattle samples from Iranian slaughterhouse using PCR-denaturing
gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis for evaluation the sources of bacterial
contamination

Bacterial spoilage of meat depends on the initial number of

microorganism, time/temperature combination of storage
conditions and physicochemical properties of meat
(Doulgeraki et al. 2012). Mostly, contamination occurs
because of inadequate hygienic conditions and handling in
slaughterhouses (Schlegelova et al. 2004), moreover the
attachment properties and the biofilm formation of bacteria
on surfaces facilitate cross-contamination
Bacterial spoilage of meat depends on the initial number of
microorganism, time/temperature combination of storage
conditions and physicochemical properties of meat
(Doulgeraki et al. 2012). Mostly, contamination occurs
because of inadequate hygienic conditions and handling in
slaughterhouses (Schlegelova et al. 2004), moreover the
attachment properties and the biofilm formation of bacteria
on surfaces facilitate cross-contamination
Bacterial contamination during slaughtering process is a safety problem and
concern for shelf life in meat production. We compare two different slaughter
lines, sheep and cattle samples from Iranian slaughterhouse using PCR-denaturing
gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis for evaluation the sources of bacterial
contamination
Nearly 1.4 million cases are caused by nontyphoidal Salmonella serotypes and 270,000 cases are
caused by pathogenic Escherichia coli, including E. coli O157: H7 [7, 8]. Although these
pathogens usually cause self-limiting gastroenteritis, invasive diseases and complications also
may occur. Similarly, systemic Salmonellosis infections can be life-threatening, and Shiga toxin-
producing E. coli, particularly E. coli O157: H7, can cause bloody diarrhoea and hemolytic
uremic syndrome Nearly 1.4 million cases are caused by nontyphoidal Salmonella serotypes and
270,000 cases are caused by pathogenic Escherichia coli, including E. coli O157: H7 [7, 8].
Although these pathogens usually cause self-limiting gastroenteritis, invasive diseases and
complications also may occur. Similarly, systemic Salmonellosis infections can be life-
threatening, and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, particularly E. coli O157: H7, can cause bloody
diarrhoea and hemolytic uremic syndrome (Eisel et al., 1997).

Cross contamination occurs during the handling of raw meat, especially poultry meat, because of
the presence of more liquid in raw meat than cooked meat.4,5 Contamination is a common process
seen all over the world on carcasses in abattoirs.6,7 Drug resistant bacteria can and do travel on
meat.8 They can also lead to longer illness and more hospitalizations with longer stays. Multi
drug resistant infections are on the rise while the development of new antibiotics is coming to a
standstill. Various meat samples have been taken from supermarkets in 2011, detailed analysis
were performed by U.S Department of agriculture, centers for disease control and prevention,
and federal food and drug administration. It was observed that significant amounts of superbug
versions of campylobacter and salmonella9 were found which leads to 3.6 million food poisoning
cases annually.10–13 Recent data put out by the Union Health Ministry’s Integrated Disease
Surveillance Programme (IDSP) has recently made their data public, which indicates that food
poisoning is one of the most common outbreaks of India reported in 2017 (Nagarajan et al.,
2018).

Human food borne infections and especially Salmonella infections due to the consumption of
chicken meat and other poultry products have increased dramatically around the globe.
Salmonella and Staph aureus are on the top of the list in terms of food poisoning and infections
[5]. Most of the human salmonellosis cases have been related to broilers chicken meat . These
harmful bacteria can grow in cooked and raw meat, fish and dairy products. Similar to
Salmonella contaminations in meat, E. coli is also one of the bacteria that can be a major cause
of food poisoning. E. coli which can contaminate meat products is also classified in the group of
coliforms and fecal coliforms which are commonly used as bacterial indicators of sanitary
quality of foods and water. Such food pathogens can easily contaminate food and spread food
borne diseases. This situation doesn’t only affect people’s health and well-being, but it also has
many economical drawbacks. For this reason, food products are being scrutinized intensively for
microbiological contamination, especially during export/import or marketing across the
boundaries. Consequently, the food industry is also facing economic disadvantages like rejection
of consignments, loss of products, product recall, marred product prestige, etc. . So, the purpose
of this study was to microbiologically evaluate different meat samples of various meat retailer
shops in Karachi (Zafar et al., 2016)

Meat provides suitable media for growth of spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms. Health
status of butcher shop workers, cloths and knives, wooden boards, and weighing scales can act as
a source of microbial contamination (Abebe et al., 2019; Ali et al., 2010). A great diversity of
microbes inhabits fresh meat generally, but different types may become dominant depending on
pH, composition textures, storage temperature, and transportation means of raw meat (Adu-
Gyamfi et al., 2012) The microbial quality and safety of raw meat products can be estimated by
the use of indicator microorganisms, including total aerobic plate count, coliform count and
Escherichia coli count (Kim and Yim, 2016). The microbiological contamination of meat can
occur during processing and manipulation, such as skinning, evisceration, storage and
distribution at slaughter houses. Fecal matter is a major source of contamination and could reach
carcasses through direct deposition, as well as by indirect contact through contaminated
equipment, workers, installations and air (Pal, 2007). In Ethiopia, the consumption of raw meat
has associated with cultural practices and widespread raw beef consumption habit that can be a
potential source for food borne illnesses. Raw meat is available in open-air local retail shops
without appropriate temperature control and purchased by households and served at restaurants
as raw, slightly cooked or well cooked (Siddiqui et al., 2006) However, there is limited
information on raw beef microbial quality status in the country. Hence, this study addresses
microbial quality status of raw beef from three potential butcher shops; Burayu, Dukem and Kara
sites which are located around Addis Ababa city. (Teshome et al., 2020)

The presence of pathogenic microbes are distressing on the hygienic quality of meat. Hence, the
microbiological quality of meat and meat products can be judged by the hygienic quality.
Further, the microbial contamination of food can occur by unhygienic food handling. Food
consumers also comprise a link in the chain of food-borne bacterial illnesses with inappropriate
storage and cooking of meat and meat products (Tachbele et al., 2006). Pathogens such as B.
cereus, C. jejuni, E. coli, L. monocytogenses, S. aureus, Y. enterocolitica are known to produce
food-borne infections and intoxications in humans.Therefore, it is very necessary to assess the
microbial load of the food by employing standard microbiological techniques (Kozaèinski et al.,
2006). The consumer needs to be provided with safe and wholesome meat, which will not cause
any health problem. This can be achieved by practicing better farm animal management, good
personal hygiene and providing adequate knowledge on food safety to all the meat handlers in
the production chain. The present communication aims to describe the microbiological and
hygienic quality of meat and meat products, which are widely consumed by humans worldwide
(Bught et al., 2017).

A total of 100 samples (40 beef, 40 mutton and 20 butchers’ meat-cutting equipment) were
obtained from butcher shops from local vendors of different regions of Tando-Allahyar. The
samples were collected randomly in sterile labelled polythene bags or bijoux bottles individually
and were transferred to laboratory at 4o C within 3-4 hours of collection. All the samples were
subjected to aerobic plate count method that followed by the standard method of isolation and
identification. The bacterial load in (g-1 ) meat samples was recorded higher (p< 0.05) in beef
samples (4.1x109 ) than mutton (3.9x107 ) and butchers’ meat cutting equipment samples
(3.7x106 ). The bacterial organisms including Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus
aureus, Shigella dysenteriae and Salmonella enteritidis were recorded as individual or mixed
contaminants in meat and meat-cutting equipment samples. From the results, it could be
concluded that in Tando-Allahyar, meat samples of cattle beef and sheep mutton, as well as
butcher’s meat-cutting equipment are highly contaminated. The contamination level of aerobic
spoilage bacteria was found higher in cattle beef as compared to sheep mutton (Pal et al., 2018).

ensuring the microbial safety of poultry meat products is an important issue in this context of
increasing consumption and production. In fact, during and after slaughtering, the bacteria from
animal microbiota, the slaughterhouse environment, and the equipment used contaminate
carcasses, their subsequent cuts, and processed meat products. Some of these bacterial
contaminants can grow or survive during food processing and storage. The resulting bacterial
communities present in poultry meat can include pathogenic species such
as Salmonella and Campylobacter, the two main pathogens responsible for human gastroenteritis
due to poultry meat consumption Since 2005, Campylobacter has been the most commonly
reported gastrointestinal bacterial pathogen in humans in the EU, where the numbers of reported
confirmed cases in 2015 were 229,213 for human campylobacteriosis and 94,625 for human
salmonellosis. Poultry consumption has also been shown to be the first cause of foodborne
outbreaks in the USA between 1998 and 2012 (da Costa et al., 2019).

Biopreservation is an important approach to maintain the microbiological quality and safety of

meat and meat products. This technique is used to extend food shelf-life through the application
of a protective microbiota, for example, the use of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with their
antibacterial properties, such as the production of bacteriocins. Bacteriocins are small peptides or
bioactive proteins, ribosomally synthesized by Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and
extracellularly released. These molecules have antimicrobial activity against pathogenic and
deteriorating bacteria, justifying their biotechnological potential . Besides extending the shelf-
life, bacteriocins also reduce the risk of transmission of pathogenic microorganisms, permitting
the reduction in the use of synthetic preservatives (Rouger et al., 2017).

The antimicrobial potential of bacteriocins has allowed the development of LAB that produces
them. By 2015, around 185 LAB-producing bacteriocins were isolated and only 53% were well
characterized and molecularly sequenced. This group of microorganisms is considered safe for
consumption, has a long tradition as food-grade bacteria, and may exert a bioprotective or
inhibitory effect against other microorganisms as a result of competition for nutrients and/or the
production of bacteriocins or other antagonistic compounds such as organic acids, hydrogen
peroxide, and enzymes. Among the LAB found in meat and meat products, Lactobacillus
sakei and Lactobacillus curvatus have been described as the main producers of these
antimicrobial compounds, being responsible for the production of sakacins and curvacins,
respectively (Aziz and Karboune 2018).

Natural antimicrobials, including plant extracts and their essential oils, enzymes, peptides,
bacteriocins, bacteriophages, and fermented ingredients have all been shown to have the
potential for use as alternatives to chemical antimicrobials. Some spices, herbs and other plant
extracts were also reported to be strong antioxidants (Nair et al., 2020).

Food additives and preservatives have been used in perishable commodities, including meat, to
maintain product consistency, quality, and safety. However, consumer demand for minimally
processed foods has fueled the exploration of novel ways of meat preservation by curbing
microbial contamination, ensuring extended shelf life, and conserving organoleptic qualities.
Simultaneously, regulatory standards have been established in different countries to control the
level of additives and preservatives used in meat (Aminzare et al., 2018).

Mint leaves have potent antioxidant properties due to the presence of eugenol, caffeic acid,
rosmarinic acid and α-tocopherol reported that Mentha spicata L. was able to retard the
autooxidation of sunflower oil at 1000C. Decrease in enzymatic lipid peroxidation has also been
reported by aqueous and alcoholic extracts of mint (Shobana and Naidu, 2000). Crude extract of
Mentha spicata was found to have better antibacterial activity against Escherchia coli, Bacillus
subtilis, Shigella flexeneri, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella
typhi. Among them, E. coli and Pseudomonas were shown to be the most sensitive (Naseem et
al., 2011). It was observed that the essential oil from M. spicata has a dose dependent activity
against bacteria among which gram positive organisms were more sensitive than gram negative
(Aminzare et al., 2018).

Application of antioxidant activity of mint leaf has been reported in meat and meat products.
After four weeks of chilled storage, TBARS in irradiated meat containing mint leaf extract
(0.1%) was half of that in untreated meat and it was comparable to that of BHT treated products
(Kannat et al., 2005). No significant differences were observed among the TBA values of
restructured chicken slices added with BHT (200ppm) and mint leaf powder (1%) during 20 days
of storage under refrigerator (Najeeb et al., 2014). Restructured chicken slices prepared with
mint leaf powders showed significantly lower microbial counts compared to control (Najeeb et
al., 2015).

Synthetic antioxidant like butylated hydroxy anisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxy toluene
(BHT) have toxic potential and carcinogenic effect. Growing awareness among consumers
towards the health aspect has increased the interest on natural antioxidants. Use of natural
antioxidant can replace the toxic effect of chemical preservatives and contributes health
promoting effect and thereby makes the food functional. Natural antioxidants found in the plants
and fruits have gained a considerable momentum for their role in preventing the auto-oxidation
in fat rich foods (Reddy et al., 2005). Mature drumstick leaves (Moringa oleiofera) are the
potent source of phenolics and have immense neutraceutical value for the development of
functional meat products of commercial importance (Das et al., 2012). Drumstick leaf powder is
already proven as natural antioxidant in meat product in our Lab (Li et al., 2014).

Bacterial spoilage of meat depends on the initial number of

microorganism, time/temperature combination of storage
conditions and physicochemical properties of meat
(Doulgeraki et al. 2012). Mostly, contamination occurs
because of inadequate hygienic conditions and handling in
slaughterhouses (Schlegelova et al. 2004), moreover the
attachment properties and the biofilm formation of bacteria
on surfaces facilitate cross-contamination
INTRODUCTION
Bacterial spoilage of meat depends on the initial number of
microorganism, time/temperature combination of storage
conditions and physicochemical properties of meat
(Doulgeraki et al. 2012). Mostly, contamination occurs
because of inadequate hygienic conditions and handling in
slaughterhouses (Schlegelova et al. 2004), moreover the
attachment properties and the biofilm formation of bacteria
on surfaces facilitate cross-contamination

Antimicrobial preservatives reduce the microbial spoilage of foods by inhibiting the growth and
proliferation of bacteria, yeasts and molds. Benzoates (E210 -E219), sorbates (E200 – E209),
nitrates (E240 – E259), and sulfites (E220 – E229) are categorized under the group of
antimicrobial preservatives. Sodium benzoate (produce benzoic acid when dissolved in water)
and benzoic acids are the most common used preservative and widely used in acidic food
products like fruit juice, carbonated drinks, pickles and jams. The maximum limit of
concentration level of benzoates approved by FDA is 0.2% and when used along with ascorbic
acid is 0.1%.Nitrites are mostly use to prevent the growth of yeast and molds in food products.
The maximum limit of concentration level allowed is 0.1%. Sorbates: Sorbates can cause
urticarial and contact dermatitis in some cases. Copper sulphate is generally used in coloring of
peas and other vegetables. It is found that the copper, when added to the vegetables, forms a
compound which is not easily soluble in the human body (Gouda, 2017).