Study identifies a natural preservative in the arjun tree

Researchers from India and New Zealand explore the potential of Terminalia arjuna as a novel natural preservative in meat products. Their findings were published in the journal Food Science and Human Wellness.

• The researchers used chevon sausages as a model system. They incorporated different levels of T. arjuna extracts: T1 (0.25 percent), T2 (0.50 percent) and T3 (0.75 percent). They assessed various lipid oxidative stability and storage quality parameters under refrigerated conditions (4 ± 1 C).
• The researchers observed a significant effect on lipid oxidative stability (p < 0.05). The T. arjuna-treated products exhibited significantly lower values for thiobarbituric acid reacting substances (TBARS) (mg malondialdehyde/kg) in comparison to control.
• Furthermore, the T. arjuna-treated products showed significantly lower values for total plate count, psychrophilic count, yeast and mold count and free fatty acid (FFA) values.
• The T. arjuna-treated products also showed significantly higher scores for various sensory parameters during refrigerated storage.
• The results showed that T. arjuna successfully improved the lipid oxidative stability and storage quality of the meat models.

The findings suggest that T. arjuna extract may be commercially exploited as a novel preservative in meat products.

Read the full text of the study at this link.

Visit Ingredients.news for more studies on other potential natural preservatives.

Journal Reference:

Kalem IK, Bhat Z, Kumar S, Desai A. TERMINALIA ARJUNA: A NOVEL NATURAL PRESERVATIVE FOR IMPROVED LIPID OXIDATIVE STABILITY AND STORAGE QUALITY OF MUSCLE FOODS. Food Science and Human Wellness. 2017;6(4):167–175. DOI: 10.1016/j.fshw.2017.08.001