Research Note: Preservative effect of compound spices extracts on marinated chicken

The antimicrobial effect of 21 nature spices essential oils (EOs) on marinated chicken was investigated and response surface analysis was applied to obtain the optimal combination. Cassia bark EO, cinnamon EO, tea tree EO, and angelica EO had the best antibacterial effect. Their inhibition zone diameters (IZD) were 23 mm, 21 mm, 15 mm, and 12 mm, and their minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBC) were 1.25 μL/mL, 1.25 μL/mL, 10.00 μL/mL, 20.00 μL/mL. Using the Box-Behnken Design model, with the minimum total number of spoilage bacteria as the evaluation index, the optimal mixture was cassia bark EO 2.40 μL/mL, cinnamon EO 1.00 μL/mL, tea tree EO 3.50 μL/mL, and angelica EO 9.00 μL/mL. Compared with the control group, the total number of colonies was reduced by 1.3 log unites at the 12th sampling day, and the protein degradation process was slowed down owing to the preservative addition. These results indicate the potential application of nature extracts in chicken and other meat preservation.