Preservation of meat and meat products using nanoencapsulated thyme and oregano essential oils

Abstract

Among other plants, thyme and oregano are commonly used in Mediterranean cuisine, especially in meat dishes. Although the essential oils of these two plants possess great antimicrobial and antioxidative properties, their application as natural meat preservatives are limited due to hydrophobicity, sensitivity to external factors and interaction with food components. Furthermore, essential oils can have adverse impacts on meat’s organoleptic properties. A possible way to overcome these barriers is by incorporating essential oils into nanometric delivery systems. Nano-sizing essential oils increases their stability, protects them, and allows their controlled release. This enhances the bioavailability of the essential oils and reduces their possible adverse impact on meat products’ organoleptic properties by preventing their unwanted interactions with food components. The antibacterial and antioxidative effect of nanoencapsulated essential oils is confirmed in numerous studies, and some of them show that in this form, essential oils were potent in food models e.g. beef burgers, pâté and rainbow trout. However, a more promising way to introduce nano forms of essential oils into foods is incorporating them in packaging systems.