Improving Bacterial, Oxidative, and Sensory Quality of Meat Steaks Using Cumin, Garlic, and Thyme Essential Oils

Abstract

The meat industry increasingly considers meat shelf life as a critical problem. Some essential oils contain antibacterial and antioxidant characteristics that help to keep meat safe. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the preservation benefits, including antibacterial and antioxidant properties, of cumin, garlic, and thyme essential oils at 1% on chilled beef meat steaks, as well as their effects on pH, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN), thiobarbituric acid (TBA), and related sensory aspects (color, odor, appearance, consistency, and overall acceptability). The results of the current study showed that pretreating beef meat steaks with EOs of cumin, garlic, and thyme at a concentration of 1% effectively reduced levels of APC, coliform count, staph aureus count, TVBN, and TBA while extending shelf life to 12, 15, and 18 days when stored at 4°C. In terms of antibacterial and antioxidant properties, shelf life, and sensory quality on beef meat steaks, the thyme essential oil group outperformed cumin and garlic essential oils. The current study introduced an effective natural preservative alternative that could replace undesirable synthetic substances in the future while also lowering antibiotic resistance.