Effect of Ziziphora clinopodioides essential oil on shelf life and fate of Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus in refrigerated chicken meatballs

The aim of the present study was to evaluate application of Ziziphora clinopodioides essential oil (ZEO) to extend shelf life and control Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus in chicken meatballs. The control and treated samples with different concentrations of ZEO (0.1, 0.2, and 0.3% vol/wt) were preserved at refrigerated temperature for 12 days and analyzed for microbial (total viable count, psychrotrophic bacteria, Pseudomonas spp., Enterobacteriaceae, L. monocytogenes, and S. aureus), chemical (total volatile base nitrogen, peroxide value, protein carbonyl contents, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances), and sensory (odor and off odor) properties at 2-day intervals. According to our findings, treated samples with different concentrations of ZEO showed better microbiological, chemical, and organoleptic properties compared to control sample until the end of the study period. Our results showed that 0.3% ZEO could be used for chicken meatball preservation without any unfavorable sensory properties. Practical applications Nowadays, increasing research has been focused on the application of different essential oils to extend shelf life and also control food-related pathogens in different food model systems due to concern regarding the use of synthetic additives and also increasing consumer interest for improvement of quality and organoleptic properties of food products. In the present study, Ziziphora clinopodioides essential oil as a natural substance could successfully extend the shelf life and control Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus in raw chicken meatball preserved at 4 °C until home cooking. Based on our findings, this essential oil can be used as a natural antimicrobial alternative to the synthetic chemical preservatives in food such as chicken meatball.