Improving the Quality and Safety of Fresh Camel Meat Contaminated with <i>Campylobacter jejuni</i> Using Citrox, Chitosan, and Vacuum Packaging to Extend Shelf Life
Hany M. Yehia,
Abdulrahman H. Al-Masoud,
Manal F. Elkhadragy,
Shereen M. Korany,
Hend M. S. Nada,
Najla A. Albaridi,
Abdulhakeem A. Alzahrani,
Mosffer M. AL-Dagal
Affiliations
Hany M. Yehia
Department of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Abdulrahman H. Al-Masoud
Department of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Manal F. Elkhadragy
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia
Shereen M. Korany
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia
Hend M. S. Nada
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt
Najla A. Albaridi
Nutrition and Food Science, Department of Physical Sport Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia
Abdulhakeem A. Alzahrani
Department of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Mosffer M. AL-Dagal
Department of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Camel meat is one of the most consumed meats in Arab countries. The use of natural antimicrobial agents to extend the shelf life of fresh camel meat, control Campylobacter jejuni contamination, and preserve meat quality is preferred. In this study, we determined the antimicrobial effects of using 1% or 2% Citrox alone or in combination with 1% chitosan on the survival of C. jejuni in vitro and on camel meat samples during storage at 4 or 10 °C for 30 days in vacuum packaging. We determined the total viable count (TVC (cfu/g)), total volatile base nitrogen (TVB-N) content, and pH of the treated camel meat samples every three days during storage. The shelf lives of camel meat samples treated with 2% Citrox alone or in combination with 1% chitosan were longer than those of camel meat samples treated with 1% Citrox alone or in combination with 1% chitosan at both the 4 and 10 °C storage temperatures, with TVCs of C. jejuni in approximately 4.0 and 3.5 log cycles at 4 and 10 °C, respectively. The experimental results demonstrated that using a Citrox-chitosan combination improved the quality of camel meat and enhanced the long-term preservation of fresh meat for up to or more than 30 days at 4 °C.
