Anti-Campylobacter, anti-aerobic, and anti-oxidative effects of roselle calyx extract and protocatechuic acid in ground beef

The inhibitory effect of roselle calyx extract and protocatechuic acid against susceptible and antibiotic-resistant Campylobacter jejuni, C. coli and C. fetus in agar plate and ground beef was examined. The minimal inhibitory concentrations of roselle calyx extract and protocatechuic acid against susceptible and antibiotic-resistant Campylobacter species were in the range of 96–152 and 20–44 μg/ml, respectively. Temperature treatments from 25 to 100 °C did not affect the anti-Campylobacter activity of protocatechuic acid. In ground beef stored at 15 °C for 6 days, roselle calyx extract and protocatechuic acid inhibited the survival and growth of aerobes, and susceptible and antibiotic-resistant Campylobacter species, in which protocatechuic acid exhibited dose-dependent effect. Both roselle calyx extract and protocatechuic acid decreased lipid oxidation levels in ground beef, in which protocatechuic acid also exhibited dose-dependent effect. The addition of roselle calyx extract or protocatechuic acid did not affect cooking loss, pH value, sensory attributes and content of fat, protein and moisture of beef samples during storage at 4 °C for 15 days. These data support that roselle calyx extract and protocatechuic acid may be used for muscle foods to prevent contamination from Campylobacter and aerobes, as well as delay lipid oxidation.