Improving the Quality and Safety of Fresh Camel Meat Contaminated with Campylobacter jejuni Using Citrox, Chitosan, and Vacuum Packaging to Extend Shelf Life

Abstract

Camel meat is one of the most consumed meats in Arab countries. The use of natural antimicrobial agents to extend the shelf life of fresh camel meat, control Campylobacter jejuni contamination, and preserve meat quality is preferred. In this study, we determined the antimicrobial effects of using 1% or 2% Citrox alone or in combination with 1% chitosan on the survival of C. jejuni in vitro and on camel meat samples during storage at 4 or 10 °C for 30 days in vacuum packaging. We determined the total viable count (TVC (cfu/g)), total volatile base nitrogen (TVB-N) content, and pH of the treated camel meat samples every three days during storage. The shelf lives of camel meat samples treated with 2% Citrox alone or in combination with 1% chitosan were longer than those of camel meat samples treated with 1% Citrox alone or in combination with 1% chitosan at both the 4 and 10 °C storage temperatures, with TVCs of <100 cfu/g after the first ten days and six days of storage at 4 and 10 °C, respectively. The addition of Citrox (1% and 2%) and 1% chitosan to camel meat samples and the application of vacuum storage were more effective than using Citrox (1% and 2%) alone and led to a reduction in C. jejuni in approximately 4.0 and 3.5 log cycles at 4 and 10 °C, respectively. The experimental results demonstrated that using a Citrox-chitosan combination improved the quality of camel meat and enhanced the long-term preservation of fresh meat for up to or more than 30 days at 4 °C.

The one-humped camel: The animal of future, potential alternative red meat, technological suitability and future perspectives

“…The infraspinatus, triceps brachii, longissimus thoracis muscles have significantly lower shear-force (6.3-6.7 kg) values than semitendinosus, semimembranosus, and biceps femoris muscles (9-12.9 kg), which might be due to less connective tissue. Suliman et al (2019) reported a similar result.…”

“…Similarly, Jouki and Khazaei (2012), using an anoxic MAP (60% CO 2 + 40% N 2 ) combined with refrigeration storage (4°C) have obtained significant improvement in physicochemical and sensory properties of camel meat within three weeks of storage. Recently, Yehia et al (2021) reported that the use of combined natural biopreservative agents (Citrox and chitosan) can be a promising tool to control Campylobacter jejuni growth and to preserve packaged camel meat even at abuse refrigeration (10°C) storage. A combination of essential oils (EOs) components like carvacrol, thymol or cinnamaldehyde with the yogurt-based marinade exerts a lethal effect against Escherichia coli O157: H7 and Salmonella spp.…”

“…In arid regions, veterinary control focuses more on animal health compliance for healthy consumption. Despite the efforts made by the veterinary services to ensure safe meat, hygiene conditions remain insufficient (Yehia et al 2021).…”

“…The reports of the last decade(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012)(2013)(2014)(2015)(2016)(2017)(2018)(2019)(2020)(2021)(2022) on strategies for enhancing the safety, quality and shelf-life of camel meat.The use of abusive temperatures to preserve meats is common in arid countries. A study on the growth of pathogenic and spoilage bacteria in fresh ground camel meat was conducted during storage at 4°C and 10°C for one week.…”

A review on nutritional composition, health benefits, and technological interventions for improving consumer acceptability of camel meat: an ethnic food of Middle East

“…The authors reported that 2.5% concentration of each nisin and gingerol decreased the level of cadaverine, tyramine, and spermidine to belowdetectable levels. Furthermore, addition of chitosan in combination with citrox was reported to significantly improve various sensory parameters such as colour, odour, flavour, taste, as well as overall acceptability measured using a hedonic scale [90].…”