Seasonal variations of bacterial populations in refrigerated minced meat and the role of different essential oils in extending shelf life [electronic resource]

Includes bibliographic reference

The level of bacterial contamination in two essential oil-treated or untreated minced meat samples collected from different butcher shops in Cairo Governorate in July 2019 (sample I) and January 2020 (sample II) was evaluated in this study. The samples were subjected to sensory, bacteriological, and chemical analysis. The counts of anaerobic, aerobic, coliform bacteria, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus were increased in the untreated portions of both samples. Generally, the total bacterial contamination in sample I, which was collected in the summer, was greater than that in sample II, which was collected in winter. Adding 2% marjoram or thyme essential oils to the minced meat samples significantly increased their shelf life at 2ºC up to 7 and 8 days, compared with the untreated portions of the two samples, whose shelf life was 4 and 5 days, respectively. These results indicate that treatment of minced meat with essential oils, especially marjoram or thyme, extends its shelf life at 2ºC by reducing the bacterial contamination without affecting the quality and sensory properties of the meat. This study was carried out to compare the different bacterial counts in minced meat at two different seasons of the year (summer and winter), with the goal of extending the shelf life by reducing bacterial counts using different essential oils.
Keywords: Antibiotic sensitivity, Antimicrobial activity, Bacteriological analysis, Chemical analysis, Essential oils, Sensory properties.

Summary in Arabic