Antioxidant Active Packaging with Soy Edible Films and Oregano or Thyme Essential Oils for Oxidative Stability of Ground Beef Patties.

The effectiveness of soy-based edible films ( EF) incorporated with essential oils ( EO) from oregano ( OR, O reganum heracleoticum L.) or thyme ( TH, T hymus vulgaris L.) applied on oxidative stability of ground beef patties ( GBP) was investigated at 4 C for 12 days. Higher antioxidant activity by OR than TH EO was determined with a 2,2'-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical-scavenging assay. Induction time of oxidation measured with the Rancimat test in lipids of GBP was extended with the addition of EOs to EFs. Lower peroxide and free fatty acidity ( P < 0.05) values were determined with OR-EF or TH-EF, particularly at later stages of storage. Incorporation of EO from OR or TH into the EFs resulted in reduced, but acceptable, redness ( a*) values ( P < 0.05) in ground beef. This study suggests that the addition of OR or TH EOs into EFs as an antioxidant active packaging is effective in retarding oxidative changes in meats. Practical Applications Oxidation reactions are among the most important factors responsible for loss of quality in meat products. Packaging using edible films ( EFs) with the inclusion of natural plant extracts is becoming a promising active packaging approach to control oxidative changes in food products during storage. This study was focused on the inclusion of thyme or oregano essential oils ( EOs) into EF formulation to control oxidative changes in ground beef patties. Results indicate that inclusion of EOs as antioxidants into soy-based EFs offers great potential in industrial applications for controlling oxidative changes in the manufacture of natural meat products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]