RESUMO Os riscos à saúde atribuídos aos conservantes convencionais e a tendência de saudabilidade dos alimentos promoveram um crescente interesse por alternativas para a preservação dos alimentos. Entre elas a utilização de conservantes de origem vegetal, os condimentos e os extratos deles obtidos. Usando como indicadores a contagem de mesófilos aeróbios e o pH, este trabalho teve como objetivo comparar a influência do teor de sal nas proporções uma, duas e três partes com o da adição de extratos vegetais brutos no tempo de conservação de modelo cárneo (600 g de carne de paleta suína moída). Considerou-se apto para consumo o tratamento cuja contagem de mesófilos, observados por 15 dias, não ultrapassasse 105 UFC/g. Os componentes (sal e extratos) foram misturados ao modelo cárneo usando aparelho Stomacher. O tratamento com a maior proporção de sal (três partes) permaneceu 10 dias viável para o consumo, enquanto os tratamentos com uma parte por quatro dias e duas partes por 9 dias. Os tratamentos com extratos de “macela” e de “louro” não diferiram estatisticamente do tratamento com uma parte de sal. Os extratos de “hibisco”, de “cravo”, de “canela” e de “noz-moscada”, na proporção planta : volume (10 g :100 mL) testados, mantiveram o modelo cárneo apto para o consumo até o décimo quinto dia. O pH dos tratamentos não interferiu no tempo de preservação do modelo cárneo. As evidências indicam o potencial uso desses extratos como conservantes em produtos cárneos processados.

ABSTRACT Health risks associated with conventional preservatives and the trend of food healthiness have promoted a growing interest in alternatives of food preservation. These include the use of plant preservatives, condiments and their extracts. Using the indicators count of aerobic mesophiles and pH, the objective of this study was to compare the influence of salt content at the proportions of one, two and three parts with that of the addition of crude plant extracts on the time of preservation of a meat model system (600 g of ground pork shoulder). It was considered suitable for human consumption the treatment whose microbiological count of aerobic mesophiles, observed for 15 days, did not exceed 105 CFU/g. The components (salt and extracts) were mixed with the meat using a Stomacher Lab Blender. The treatment with the highest proportion of salt (three parts) remained viable for consumption for 10 days, while treatments with one part remained for four days and those with two parts remained for nine days. Treatments with “macela” or “laurel” did not statistically differ from treatments with one part of salt. The extracts of “hibiscus”, “clove”, “cinnamon” and “nutmeg”, in the plant:volume proportion (10 g:100 mL) tested, maintained the meat model system suitable for consumption until the fifteenth day. The pH of the treatments did not interfere with the shelf life of the meat model system. The results indicate the potential use of these extracts as preservatives in processed meat products.

Abstract Hibiscus sabdariffa L. is used in traditional medicine because of its bioactive properties, such as antioxidant and antibacterial. Escherichia coli is a Gram-negative bacteria and as an indicator of contamination in food. The aim of this work was to evaluate the anti-Escherichia coli effect and the change in pH on the control of aerobic mesophilic microorganisms, using hydroethanolic extract of H. sabdariffa L. in different concentrations in a meat model, verifying its potential as food additive for microbiological stability on ground beef during cooling storage. For the preparation of the treatments, the meat experimental units were elaborated with different concentrations of the vegetal extract (5, 10, 15 and 20%), ground beef and contaminated with E. coli. For pH evaluation, the meat experimental units were added different percentages of hydroethanolic extract. The H. sabdariffa L. antibacterial action reduced two logarithmic levels in practically all treatments. The best pH result was obtained in the meat containing 30% of the extract. The hydroethanolic extracts of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. showed anti-Escherichia coli activity in the presence of refrigerated ground beef. Analyzing the pH results and the count of aerobic mesophilic bacteria, it is possible this extract to be used as a natural food additive.