Effect of Rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) on Growth Control of Clostridium perfringens and Lipid Oxidation of Ready‐to‐Eat Jokbal (Pig's Trotters)

Abstract

This study investigated the antimicrobial effects of rooibos (tea extract), potassium lactate (PL) and sodium diacetate (SDA) mixture alone or in combinations on the growth of Clostridium perfringens vegetative cell and spore in ready-to-eat (RTE) Jokbal (pig's trotters). Addition of a combination of 10% rooibos and 4% PL + SDA inhibit growth of C. perfringens vegetative cell in Jokbal at 24 °C and 36 °C. The significant inhibition on germination and growth of C. perfringens spores was also observed in Jokbal with a combination of 10% rooibos and 4% PL + SDA (PL: 2.24%, SDA: 0.16%) at 24 °C. The Jokbal treated with 10% rooibos and 4% PL + SDA mixture had significantly (P < 0.05) lower TBARS values than the control at 10 and 24 °C. The lipid oxidation inhibition effect was the highest (P < 0.05) in anaerobic packed Jokbal with 10% rooibos. The addition of a combination of 10% rooibos and 4% PL + SDA during the processing of Jokbal prevented the growth of C. perfringens and the germination and growth of C. perfringens spores at room temperature. This study shows rooibos tea as a valuable natural food preservative in meat products.

Natural Extracts as Inhibitors of Microorganisms and Lipid Oxidation in Emulsion Sausage during Storage

“…In addition, inhibition of C. perfringens growth was observed in sausages formulated with essential oils extracted by Satureja montana L., an aromatic herb ( de Oliveira et al, 2011 ). Aspalathus linearis is a medicinal plant rich in polyphenols, and A. linearis extracts have been shown to inhibit C. perfringens growth in meat products ( Park et al, 2014 ). Moreover, C. perfringens contaminated with pig trotters formulated with A. linearis in an anaerobic environment was found to decrease gradually, although the antimicrobial activity was observed to be somewhat lower compared with that in our findings; in our study, C. perfringens counts were below the detection limit (1.0 Log CFU/g) from day 2, whereas in the study by Park et al (2014) , counts were as high as 3.0 Log CFU/g on day 15.…”

“…Aspalathus linearis is a medicinal plant rich in polyphenols, and A. linearis extracts have been shown to inhibit C. perfringens growth in meat products ( Park et al, 2014 ). Moreover, C. perfringens contaminated with pig trotters formulated with A. linearis in an anaerobic environment was found to decrease gradually, although the antimicrobial activity was observed to be somewhat lower compared with that in our findings; in our study, C. perfringens counts were below the detection limit (1.0 Log CFU/g) from day 2, whereas in the study by Park et al (2014) , counts were as high as 3.0 Log CFU/g on day 15. Sous-vide products are prepared by placing in a vacuum, and C. perfringens , which are anaerobic foodborne pathogens that form spores, can be more problematic in these products ( Smith et al, 2021 ).…”

New insights of the application of water or ethanol-water plant extract rich in active compounds in food

“…Moreover, a mixture of 10% rooibos, 4% potassium lactate, and sodium diacetate considerably reduced the amount of Clostridium perfringens in pig’s trotters at 10°C. Aspalathus linearis has the potential to be a natural preservative because it prevents lipid oxidation, which inhibits the growth of bacteria C. perfringens as well as the outgrowth and germination of their spores ( 149 ). Adding herbal extracts might be an alternative to the reduced salt content in meat products; for example, the application of basil extract increased the salty taste of low-sodium hams ( 116 ).…”