This study was carried out used some natural antibacterial substances(Pelargonium zonale(Pz) and Ocimium basilicum(Ob) as leave extracts to improvement shelf-life and safety of minced beef.
Experimental procedures included: comparative study of the different solvents, water, 70% aqueous acetone and hexane, the leave extracts were assessed against clinical bacterial, Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli O157:H7, Klebsiella pneumonia,Proteus vulgaris and Serratia marcescens) and Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus cereus, Micrococcus luteus, Micrococcus roseus and Staphylococcus aureus),agar wells diffusion method was used for the antibacterial assessments; addition of investigated extracts to minced beef under laboratory conditions and study the effect of microbiological changes (total bacterial counts, Pyschrotrophic bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus and Colliform group counts) of stored minced beef during refrigerated storage 4±1°C for 15 days.
In general,antibacterial effects of the Pelargonium zonale extracts were more prominent than those of the Ocimium basilicum extracts.Wide inhibition zones were observed with water extracts of Pelargonium against the tested bacteria, except St. aureus and M. roseus. Addition of all extracts reduced the total bacterial, Pyschrotrophic bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus and Colliform group counts compared with control sample during storage period. The lowest counts observed in minced beef contained 0.3% (Pz) flowed by 0.3% (Ob) addition. Also, the highest counts observed in minced beef without any addition (control sample).It can be concluded that the (Pz) water extract and (Ob) hexane extract could be employed as safe natural antibacterial agents to improvement shelf-life of minced beef.