Recent trends in the micro-encapsulation of plant-derived compounds and their specific application in meat as antioxidants and antimicrobials.

The controversy around synthetic antioxidants and antimicrobials, which have been linked to major health problems, has driven both consumers and producers toward the usage of natural preservatives. Plants are excellent sources of bioactive compounds that can be used as part of raw materials during meat processing. Therefore, exploitation of plant-derived antioxidants is necessary to protect against microbial growth and to extend the self-life of meat. However, certain limitations, such as a strong organoleptic effect owing to the bitterness and acerbic taste, instability, and short shelf life of some plant bioactive compounds, limit their use in the meat system. Encapsulation is a novel and promising technique for overcoming these limitations. It protects bioactive compounds by strengthening their oxidative stability and by controlling the release of targeted compounds. Indeed, this review article provides recent advancements in the encapsulation of plant-derived compounds and their specific application in meat preservation.

The enhancement of the perception of saltiness by umami sensation elicited by flavor enhancers in salt solutions.

Health concerns related to the intake of salt have encouraged the investigation into sodium reduction by examining the taste-taste interaction between the perception of saltiness and umami. The effect of saltiness enhancement and sodium reduction of four kinds of umami carrier (WSA, MSG, IMP, and I + G) in a salt model solution with different salt concentrations (2.03-13.94 g/L) were investigated using the two-alternative forced-choice (2-AFC) and generalized Labeled Magnitude Scale (gLMS). The saltiness difference thresholds (DT) under different umami carrier were further explored using the constant stimuli method. The results showed that umami carriers had effective effects of saliness enhancement in the salt solutions with different concentrations, and higher enhancemen levels were obtained at larger salt concentrations. The level of saltiness enhancement were varied between the different umami intensity and carriers, and WSA carrier with moderate intensity had the maximum sodium reduction percentages which reached to 24.25%. Besides, the DT values of saltiness taste were increased under umami carrier, which means that more salt can be reduced without evoking a variation in saltiness. The present work not only provided insight into the effect of umami chemicals on the saltiness perception and saltiness DT values but also presented valuable information regarding flavor when developing low sodium foods and contributing to the development of more healthful products that meet current nutritional recommendations.