Preserving and extending the shelf life of meat products remains a key concern for producers, retailers, and consumers alike. This study investigates the effectiveness of various honeys—local beekeeper honeys, commercially available grocery honeys, and Manuka honey—in inhibiting lipid oxidation in beef, a process that leads to rancidity. Fresh beef samples were treated with honey and sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) on the day of acquisition, and lipid oxidation levels were measured over four days using Peroxide Value and TBARS assays. Results from the Peroxide test revealed that M-256 honey exhibited the highest lipid oxidation inhibition (74.63%), outperforming the synthetic preservative STPP, which achieved 71.64% inhibition. Other honeys, including 23H-50 and 23H-76, demonstrated moderate inhibition levels at 59.70% and 40.30%, respectively. TBARS assay results showed that G-19 honey provided substantial inhibition of lipid oxidation (80.75%), with NJ-15 and SA-31 offering moderate inhibition at 52.07% and 46.73%, respectively. Although STPP exhibited a higher inhibition rate of 95.7%, its use is associated with health risks such as kidney failure and gastrointestinal issues, raising concerns for prolonged consumption. These findings suggest that high-bioactivity honeys could serve as a natural and safer alternative to synthetic preservatives in meat, effectively inhibiting lipid oxidation and potentially extending shelf life without adverse health effects.
Honey as a Natural Preservative Against Lipid Oxidation in Meat
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Student Abstract Submission