Recent Advances in the Incorporation of Polysaccharides with Antioxidant and Antibacterial Functions to Preserve the Quality and Shelf Life of Meat Products
Boutheina Ben Akacha,
Monika Michalak,
Basma Najar,
Francesca Venturi,
Isabella Taglieri,
Miroslava Kačániová,
Rania Ben Saad,
Wissem Mnif,
Stefania Garzoli,
Anis Ben Hsouna
Affiliations
Boutheina Ben Akacha
Laboratory of Biotechnology and Plant Improvement, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, B.P “1177”, Sfax 3018, Tunisia
Monika Michalak
Collegium Medicum, Jan Kochanowski University, IX WiekówKielc 19, 35-317 Kielce, Poland
Basma Najar
Pharmacognosy, Bioanalysis and Drug Discovery Unit and Analytical Platform, Faculty of Pharmacy, Free University of Brussels, Bld Triomphe, Campus Plaine, 205/5, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium
Francesca Venturi
Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Isabella Taglieri
Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Miroslava Kačániová
Institute of Horticulture, Faculty of Horticulture, Slovak University of Agriculture, Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 949 76 Nitra, Slovakia
Rania Ben Saad
Laboratory of Biotechnology and Plant Improvement, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, B.P “1177”, Sfax 3018, Tunisia
Wissem Mnif
Department of Chemistry, College of Sciences at Bisha, University of Bisha, P.O. Box 199, Bisha 61922, Saudi Arabia
Stefania Garzoli
Department of Chemistry and Technologies of Drug, Sapienza University, P. le Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
Anis Ben Hsouna
Laboratory of Biotechnology and Plant Improvement, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, B.P “1177”, Sfax 3018, Tunisia
Meat and meat products are susceptible to various types of natural processes such as oxidative degradation due to their high content of protein and essential amino acids. However, finding solutions to maintain the nutritional and sensory quality of meat and meat products is unavoidable. Hence, there is a pressing need to investigate alternatives to synthetic preservatives, focusing on active biomolecules of natural provenance. Polysaccharides are natural polymers of various sources that exhibit antibacterial and antioxidant properties via a variety of mechanisms, owing to their diversity and structural variation. For this reason, these biomolecules are widely studied in order to improve texture, inhibit the growth of pathogens, and improve the oxidative stability and sensory characteristics of meat products. However, the literature has not addressed their biological activity in meat and meat products. This review summarizes the various sources of polysaccharides, their antioxidant and antibacterial activities (mainly against pathogenic food strains), and their use as natural preservatives to replace synthetic additives in meat and meat products. Special attention is given to the use of polysaccharides to improve the nutritional value of meat, resulting in more nutrient-rich meat products with higher polysaccharide content and less salt, nitrites/nitrates, and cholesterol.
