Abstract
Natural extracts obtained from fruit and vegetable processing are important sources of phenolic compounds and nitrates, with excellent antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. The aim of this study was to characterize and determine the antioxidant and antimicrobial capacity of several natural extracts (citric (Ct), acerola (Ac), rosemary (R), paprika, garlic, oregano, beet (B), lettuce (L), arugula (A), spinach (S), chard (Ch), celery (Ce), and watercress (W)), both in vitro and applied to a cured meat product (chorizo). For that, the volatile compounds by GC-MS and microbial growth were determined. The total phenolic and nitrate contents were measured and related with their antioxidant capacity (measured by DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and ORAC methods) and antimicrobial capacity against Clostridium perfringens growth in vitro. In order to study the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the extracts in food, their properties were also measured in Spanish chorizo enriched with these natural extracts. R and Ct showed the highest antioxidant capacity, however, natural nitrate sources (B, L, A, S, Ch, Ce, and W) also presented excellent antimicrobial activity against C. perfringens. The incorporation of these extracts as preservatives in Spanish chorizo also presented excellent antioxidant and antimicrobial capacities and could be an excellent strategy in order to produce clean label dry-cured meat products.
Highlights
One of the most important difficulties faced in the food industry is the great quantity of waste generated from fruit and vegetable processing, which has become a problem for the environment and is a large capital investment for companies
Results were compared with the USDA Database for the Total Phenolic Content (TPC) in order to have a comparative reference of the obtained results
The total nitrate content (TNC) of natural extracts obtained from green leaf vegetables was evaluated following the method described by Cataldo et al [15]
Summary
One of the most important difficulties faced in the food industry is the great quantity of waste generated from fruit and vegetable processing, which has become a problem for the environment and is a large capital investment for companies. Residues, such as peels, seeds, or leaves, are rich in phenolic compounds and other bioactive substances, such as nitrates, with potential antioxidant and antimicrobial properties that could substitute synthetic additives in the manufacturing of new and functional food products with healthier benefits for the human body [1]. In parallel, regarding their chemical nature and origin, these compounds
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