Use of spice mixtures for the stabilisation of fresh portioned pork

During storage, fresh portioned meat is prone to microbial decay accompanied by smell and colour deterioration. As spices possess anti-microbial activity, they might be used for prolonging the shelf-life of meat. The present communication reports first results concerning this topic. Five spice mixtures adapted to the European taste were studied with respect to their stabilising effect on colour and smell of fresh portioned pork. Two of these spice mixtures were especially active. These mixtures diminished the bacterial count of pork and inhibited the growth of various meat-spoiling microorganisms in a model medium.