Abstract

Sodium nitrate is widely used in meat and meat products for its antimicrobial properties, flavor development, color enhancement, and oxidative stability. However, concerns over its potential health risk, particularly the formation of carcinogenic N-nitrosamines, have prompted a shift toward reducing synthetic additives. These concerns have sparked interest in natural alternatives, particularly nitrate rich plant extracts such as beet roots and leaves of chard, which provide functional benefits and meet clean label requirements. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the possibility of natural nitrate rich extracts (such as beetroot and leaves of chard) to partially or fully replace synthetic sodium nitrate in processing of minced meat. The results of the control and sodium nitrate (100 ppm) treated groups showed overall acceptability till the 6th and 9th day of storage became spoiled, respectively, with a progressive increase in aerobic plate count (APC), reaching 6.76 ± 0.01ᵃ and 6.04 ± 0.01ᵃ. In contrast, the group treated with sodium nitrate (50 ppm) combined with beetroot extract (50 ppm), and the group treated with beetroot and chard extracts (50 ppm each), maintained overall acceptability up to the 9th and 12th day. These groups demonstrated improved microbial stability, effectively delaying spoilage and maintaining APC levels at 6.26 ± 0.01ᵃ and 5.91 ± 0.02ᵇ, respectively. The lower microbial load in the beetroot + leaves of chard group suggests a synergistic antimicrobial effect of the natural extracts, contributing to enhanced shelf life compared to both the control and synthetic nitrate treatments.

Key words: minced meat, Nitrate, Beetroot extract, Chard leaves extract