EFFECT OF AQUEOUS EXTRACTS OF LEMONGRASS AND ROSEMARY ON THE OXIDATION PROPERTIES AND TOTAL BACTERIAL CONTENT OF AGED WHITE MEAT PATTIES STORED IN REFRIGERATION

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the effect of combining rosemary and lemongrass extracts at various levels into minced meat patties derived from aged laying hens. The patties were subsequently stored at a refrigeration temperature of 4°C for 14 days. The study was executed at the Central Laboratory of the College of Agriculture, University of Anbar, between May 21, 2024, and July 7, 2024. The experimental design included eight treatment groups, each replicated three times. Each treatment consisted of nine meat patties. The treatments for the chicken meat patties were as follows:  1. The first treatment (T1) served as the control and consisted of chicken meat patties without any additives. 2. The second treatment (T2) included potassium nitrite at a concentration of 0.06% of the meat patties. 3. The third treatment (T3) and the fourth treatment (T4) incorporated lemongrass extract at concentrations of 0.25% and 0.50%, respectively, of the meat patties. 4. The fifth treatment (T5) and the sixth treatment (T6) included rosemary extract at concentrations of 0.25% and 0.50%, respectively, of the meat patties. 5. The seventh treatment (T7) and the eighth treatment (T8) contained a combination of lemongrass and rosemary extracts at concentrations of 0.125% and 0.250% for each extract, respectively, of the meat patties.  The Malondialdehyde (MDA) assay showed a significant reduction (P < 0.05) in all experimental treatments compared to the control group. Notably, MDA levels decreased markedly on the first day of assessment in relation to the subsequent experimental periods. In contrast, the concentrations of free fatty acids (FFA) significantly declined (P < 0.05) in treatments T4, T7, and T8 compared to other experimental treatments. Additionally, FFA levels showed a significant reduction (P >0.05) on the initial day of storage compared to later intervals. Peroxide values also significantly decreased (P > 0.05) in treatments T4 and T8 in relation to other experimental treatments, with a notable reduction (P > 0.05) observed on the first day compared to the remaining storage days. The findings indicated that treatments T3, T4, T5, T6, T7, and T8 resulted in lower bacterial counts (P > 0.05) compared to the control and T2 treatments. Furthermore, the initial day of storage recorded the lowest bacterial count, which was significantly lower (P > 0.05) than those observed in subsequent periods. The incorporation of rosemary and lemongrass extracts, whether used individually or in combination, significantly enhanced the quality of minced chicken meat patties by effectively reducing oxidation rates and bacterial counts. These extracts represent promising alternatives to conventional chemical preservatives, such as potassium nitrite, particularly in meat preservation methodologies.