Biogenic amines as freshness index of meat wrapped in a new active packaging system formulated with essential oils of Rosmarinus officinalis

Abstract

Biogenic amines (BAs) are considered as an important indicator of freshness and quality of food. In this work, a new active packaging (AP) system for meat that, incorporating essential oil of Rosmarinus officinalis at 4% (w/w), inhibits the increase of BAs and the bacteria involved into their production was developed. BAs were analyzed by a SPE-HPLC-DAD method during the storage time of meat (0–7 d, 4 °C). Results showed that, in each monitored day, Biogenic Amine Index (BAI) expressed in mg kg⁻¹ is lower in meat wrapped in AP with respect to that packed in polycoupled packaging (PP) (from 19% to 62%). A strong correlation was found between the inhibition of increase of putrescine, cadaverine, histamine and their bacteria producers such as Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas spp. and Brocothrix thermospacta. By exploiting antimicrobial and antioxidant action of essential oil of R. officinalis, the new APs contribute to increase the shelf life of fresh meat and to preserve its important nutrients.

• Active packaging
• bacteria
• biogenic amines
• essential oils

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Dr Maria Carmela Guerra (School of Biosciences and Biotechnologies, University of Camerino) for helping with microbiological analysis, and Dr Marco Spinosi (School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino) for helping with SPME-GC-MS analysis. They would also like to thank Sheila Beatty for her editing of the English usage in the manuscript.