Natural Antioxidants from Seeds and Their Application in Meat Products

Abstract

The use of synthetic antioxidants in the food industry has raised important questions about the effects of prolonged consumption on human health. On top of that, the consumption of meat products has been changing due to the awareness generated by health-related organizations. In this sense, exploring strategies to develop and produce healthier meat products has become a paramount concern. Several studies explored the composition of several seeds to characterize and explore the compounds with antioxidant activity, which are mainly composed of polyphenols. The use of antioxidant extracts in meat products has shown important results to delay the oxidative reactions in meat products derived from the processing and storage of meat products. Moreover, these extracts can also replace synthetic antioxidants and preserve the quality of meat products. Therefore, the aims of this review are first, to present the sources and compounds with antioxidant activity in seeds, and second, to discuss their protective effect against oxidative reactions in meat products.

Plant Extracts Obtained with Green Solvents as Natural Antioxidants in Fresh Meat Products

“…As mentioned previously, plants and more specifically cereals, fruits, grains, herbs, seeds, spices, and vegetables are the major sources of natural antioxidants due to their polyphenol contents, which allow us to delay the oxidation processes that occur in meat products during their shelf life [ 24 ]. The choice of solvent plays a key role in the extraction of these BACs, as it affects selectivity, extraction method, cost, and safety.…”

“…Therefore, the use of natural antioxidants in meat products seems a good option to reduce the consumption of synthetic additives [ 10 , 11 , 20 , 21 ]. In this regard, several plant extracts and essential oils (EOs) from diverse sources, such as aromatic plants, fruits, leaves, seeds, and spices, can be used as natural antioxidants in meat products, as they can retard or inhibit lipid and protein oxidation by preventing oxidative chain reactions and can extend the shelf life of these products [ 11 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ].…”

Hexanal as a Predictor of Development of Oxidation Flavor in Cured and Uncured Deli Meat Products as Affected by Natural Antioxidants

“…However, safety and toxicity issues with synthetic antioxidants are leading to stricter regulations [ 13 , 14 ]. Consequently, consumers are increasingly demanding more natural products free from chemical preservatives [ 15 ], and, hence, employing antioxidant extracts from natural sources such as herbs, spices, seeds, fruits, and tea in meat and meat products fits well into this trend as also evidenced by a number of recent reviews and studies on the subject [ 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 ].…”

The Effect of Dietary Lycopene Supplementation on Drip Loss during Storage of Lamb Meat by iTRAQ Analysis

“…Antioxidants act as protective agents by quenching reactive oxygen species to protect the organelle/cell/tissue from oxidative damage [ 12 ]. Recently, considerable attention has been focused on improving meat quality through inhibiting or reducing oxidative deterioration by dietary antioxidant supplementation, especially natural antioxidants extracted from plants because of their efficiency and safety to humans [ 13 , 14 ]. Moreover, consumers are concerned about the potential risk to health by using synthetic antioxidants in meat or animals’ diet [ 15 ], so they prefer to consume meat products with natural ingredients [ 16 ].…”