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The present study investigated the effects of ethanolic extracts obtained from Mentha spicata and Artemisia campestris on the shelf life and the quality of vacuum-packed sardine fillets stored at 3 ± 1°C for a period of 21 days. The three groups were tested were VC, control group; VM, group treated with 1 % mint extract; and VA, group treated with 1 % artemisia extract. The observed shelf life of sardine fillets was 10 days for control samples, whereas the combination of vacuum packaging with mint and artemisia extracts extended the product's shelf life to 17 days. Among the chemical indices determined, the thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances values were significantly lower in VM samples. Total volatile base nitrogen was maintained at low levels in VA samples until 17 days of chilled storage. Results of aerobic plate counts and coliform counts showed the existence of a reduced growth in VA group, whereas lactic acid bacteria did not show a significant difference among groups. Natural extract treatments combined with vacuum packaging showed lower microbiological and chemical indices, indicating that the presence of phenolic compounds in mint and artemisia extracts and the removal of oxygen in the pack retarded lipid oxidation and reduced the growth of microorganisms, which resulted in preventing spoilage and extending the product's shelf life.

The chemical composition of the essential oil isolated from the aerial parts of Artemisia campestris from Algeria and its antifungal activity against 10 filamentous fungal strains were investigated. The A. campestris essential oil was obtained in a yield of 0.71% (v/w). The major constituents of the oil were α-pinene (18.65%), β-pinene (16.78%), β-myrcene (17.34%), and germacrene D (10.34%). Our study showed that A. campestris essential oil was a potent antifungal agent against some pathogenic fungal species. Fusarium graminearum was the most sensitive strain to A. campestris essential oil with minimal inhibitory concentration and minimal fungicidal concentration values of 1.25 µL/mL (v/v). The essential oil also exhibited a strong fungicidal activity against the tested fungi, except for Penicillium citrinum, P. viridicatum, and Aspergillus niger (MFC >20 µL/mL). Our findings suggested the application of A. campestris essential oil as a biofungicide in order to reduce the dependence on synthetic fungicides and ensure food safety and quality.

Ethanolic extracts from mint and artemisia were applied on vacuum-packed sardine fillets in order to investigate their effects on biogenic amine formation during 21 days at 3 ± 1C. Three different groups were tested: control group (without ethanolic extracts), T1 (mint extract -1% w/v) and T2 (artemisia extract -1% w/v). Natural extract treatments combined with vacuum packaging resulted in a significant shelf life extension of the sardine fillets of 7 days. Treated groups had lower (P < 0.05) histamine, tyramine and cadaverine contents than control samples. Mint extract was the most effective in decreasing biogenic amine production in fish muscle, while the artemisia extract treatment contributed to maintain histamine-forming bacteria at low levels until day 17 of chilled storage. Our findings suggest the application of mint and artemisia extracts in fish industry since they improve food safety and increase product's shelf life without altering the sensory properties of fish. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSSeafood products containing high concentrations of biogenic amines have limited shelf lives, in particular for their impact on food quality and human health. Therefore, many preservatives are added to foods as antimicrobial agents, although consumers today prefer the presence of natural additives in food products and avoid chemical preservatives for their potential toxicity. Plants are a rich source of a large number of biologically active compounds, and hence, their extracts possess antimicrobial activities. The results of the present work show the efficiency of plant extract treatment combined with vacuum packaging in decreasing biogenic amine contents and extending the shelf life of sardine. This study also suggests the application of Mentha spicata and Artemisia campestris extracts in the food industry as natural preservatives since they improve food safety and increase product's shelf life.