Preservation of meat products: natural antimicrobial agents as an alternative to chemical antimicrobials

The microbiological quality of food is of considerable concern to the food industry. Microbial spoilage of meat products can be considered as one of the main challenges in the meat industry. Consequently, the use of food additives in meat products is essential to reduce microbial loads and to inhibit important foodborne pathogens which are responsible for serious illnesses.Food additives as sodium nitrite, lactate and sorbic acid are frequently used as antimicrobials in meat products. However, there are some drawbacks associated with the use of chemical additives, such as their possible mutagenic and carcinogenic effects. Moreover, today's consumers are demanding for healthy foods with natural ingredients which turns non synthetic additives interesting alternatives to chemical food additives. Natural compounds such as chitosan, propolis, nisin, lactoferrin and plant essential oils could be good candidates for the preservation of meat products.This review explores the main chemical additives used in meat and meat products, the legal aspects and health-associated problems of their use, as well as the advantages/disadvantages of potential natural alternatives.