Abstract

The effect of various concentrations of sage (Saliva officinalis) on the microbial quality and the shelf-life of minced beef mixed with soybean protein was investigated. For this purpose, minced beef mixed with soybean protein samples were divided into four groups. First group was kept as a control group, others ones were treated with 0.1, 0.3 and 0.5% sage extract. All samples were stored at 4°C and microbiological evaluation was conducted at intervals of 0, 1, 3, 5 and 7 days post-storage for aerobic, anaerobic, enterobacteriaceae, yeast-mould, Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus counts. Minced beef pose a risk of food-borne infection or intoxication due to existence and growth of B. cereus and S. aureus. Sage extract concentration of 0.3 and 0.5%, significantly reduced aerobic, anaerobic, enterobacteriaceae, yeast-mould, B. cereus and S. aureus counts in the samples. Control and 0.1% sage groups did not comply with the Egyptian standards criteria for total aerobic counts when compared to other groups within the seven days of shelf-life. The results indicated that 0.3 and 0.5% sage extract improved the microbiological quality and prolonged the shelf-life of the minced beef to seven days of retail displayed at 4°C.

Key words: Minced beef, Sage, soybean, microbial quality and shelf-life.