Evaluation of the impact of methanolic extract of bay leaf oil on enhancing the quality of plant-based meat

Many consumers and food manufacturers worldwide have shown interest in consuming plant-based meat products, which are a good source of plant protein and many nutrients, such as fat, complex carbohydrates, fibers, vitamins, and minerals. However, processed plant-based meats are usually characterized by their high moisture content, which makes them susceptible to the growth and multiplication of bacteria during storage, such as Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, and therefore they are prone to rapid spoilage during storage. Therefore, many researchers have focused on improving their shelf life. Given the widespread and growing interest in natural biological preservatives, this study investigated the effects of using methanolic extract bay leaf oil at three concentrations (1% w/w, 2.5% w/w, and 5% w/w) as natural preservatives in processed plant-based meat products. This study monitored and controlled changes in pH, TBARS content, juice loss rate, and the total number of Salmonella, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. Sensory evaluation was also conducted on processed plant-based meats during a 28-day storage period at 4?C. Treating processed plant-based meat samples with methanolic extract bay leaf oil contributed to improving pH, delaying fat oxidation, and reducing juice loss during storage. The number of Escherichia coli colonies was 4 and 3 log cfu/g in the control plant-based meat samples and in the samples treated with 1% methanolic extract on day 14 of storage, and 3 log cfu/g in the meat samples treated with 2.5% methanolic extract on day 28 of storage. The number of Staphylococcus aureus colonies was 2 log cfu/g on day 14 of storage for the samples treated with 1% methanolic extract, and 2 log cfu/g on day 28 of sto-rage for the samples treated with 2.5% methanolic extract. These values exceed the maximum limit set by the Chinese national standard for processed plant-based meat and EU regulation (EC) 2073/2005 on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs. The treatment with methanolic extract contributed to a 5% improvement in the shelf life of plant-based meat products, extending up to 28 days of storage at 4 ?C. Furthermore, samples of processed plant-based meats treated with a 5% methanolic extract bay leaf oil maintained acceptable sensory evaluations during this 28-day storage period.