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Arbutus unedo leaf extracts as potential dairy preservatives: case study on quark cheese
Nabila Derbassi1,2, Mariana C Pedrosa1, Sandrina Heleno1
1Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal. mcarocho@pb.pt.
Food & Function
|April 27, 2022
Summary
Leaf extracts from Arbutus unedo L. show antioxidant and antibacterial properties. Incorporated into quark cheese, these natural preservatives significantly reduced microbial load without altering nutritional or physical traits.
Area of Science:
- Food Science
- Phytochemistry
- Microbiology
Background:
- Plants offer a rich source of natural compounds for various industries.
- The food industry increasingly seeks natural alternatives for preservation, coloring, and sweetening.
- Arbutus unedo L. (strawberry tree) is a plant with potential bioactive compounds.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of Arbutus unedo L. leaf extracts as natural preservatives in quark cheese.
- To assess the impact of these extracts on the shelf-life, microbial load, nutritional profile, and physical characteristics of quark cheese.
Main Methods:
- Leaf extracts were obtained using dynamic maceration and ultrasound-assisted extraction.
- Extraction conditions were optimized using response-surface methodology.
- Extracts were incorporated into quark cheese and analyzed over an 8-day shelf-life period.
- Antioxidant, antibacterial, and toxicity assays were performed.
- Nutritional and physical analyses of the cheese were conducted.
Main Results:
- Both dynamic maceration and ultrasound-assisted extracts exhibited antioxidant and antibacterial activities, particularly against Gram-positive bacteria.
- No toxicity was observed in primary cell lines at tested concentrations.
- Incorporation into quark cheese did not significantly alter nutritional or physical properties.
- A significant reduction in microbial load was observed in cheese samples treated with the extracts, especially those from dynamic maceration.
Conclusions:
- Arbutus unedo L. leaf extracts demonstrate potential as natural preservatives in the food industry.
- These extracts offer a safe and effective way to enhance the microbial safety of dairy products like quark cheese.
- The study highlights the value of plant-derived compounds for natural food preservation.
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