The potential of rosemary as a functional ingredient for meat products- a review

Artificial preservatives have long been used by the meat industry to control chemical, microbial, and enzymatic degradation activities; and to enhance the shelf life, safety, and quality of meat products. However, the reported toxicological and carcinogenic effects of these additives; and consumer preferences towards natural or plant-based food preservatives have insisted the meat industry to look for their natural alternatives. Rosemary is one of the most promising, versatile, and most studied natural preservatives that have been reported to reduce the rate of oxidative reactions and microbial growth in meat products, thereby extending their shelf life. The promising biological and functional characteristics of rosemary are due to the presence of bioactive compounds like phenolic diterpenes, flavonoids, and triterpenes. These bioactives are well renowned for their antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and neuroprotective properties. This review highlights the use of rosemary in a diverse range of meat products, including in their packaging. Encapsulation of rosemary and its mechanism of action have also been discussed.