An investigation of the effect of Zataria multiflora Boiss and Mentha piperita essential oils to improve the chemical stability of minced meat.

Extending the shelf life of foods is an essential concept in food safety. Most of the time, foods deteriorate through the growth of microorganisms or oxidation process. Essential oils (EOs) derived from plant material have well-documented antioxidant and antibacterial activity. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of Zataria multiflora Boiss EO (ZEO) and Mentha piperita EO (MEO) on the chemical stability of minced meat during storage at 7°C.

Total phenolic content, β-Carotene bleaching test, ferric reducing antioxidant potential assay, and 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity were used to determine the antioxidant potential of EOs. Five different groups including control, ZEO 0.3%, ZEO 0.5%, MEO 0.3%, and MEO 0.5% were designed to assess the chemical stability of minced meat by measuring pH, thiobarbituric acid (TBA), total volatile base nitrogen (TVBN), and peroxide value (PV).

pH did not have any significant change during storage. TBA values in the control group were significantly higher than the treatment groups, especially from the 5^th day of storage. TVBN in the treatment group was significantly lower than the control group during storage. PV values in the treatment group were significantly lower than the control group during storage.

Results indicate that ZEO and MEO had an excellent antioxidant activity and retarded the spoilage process in minced meat.