Antimicrobial effect of thymol and carvacrol added to a vinegar-based marinade for controlling spoilage of marinated beef (Shawarma) stored in air or vacuum packaging

Controlling spoilage of the popular ethnic marinated beef “Shawarma” is crucial to achieve high quality, extend shelf-life, reduce food waste and meet the need of the globalized supply chain. Active essential oil (EO) components (thymol and carvacrol) were added at 0.4% and 0.8% (w/w) to preserve marinated beef, stored under aerobic or vacuum packaging. Microbiological and sensory (odor) parameters were assessed during 21 days at 4 °C. The treatments with higher EO concentration achieved higher antimicrobial activity than the lower ones and significantly reduced the mesophilic total viable count (TVC), lactic acid bacteria (LAB), Brochothrix thermosphacta, Pseudomonas spp., total coliforms, Escherichia coli, yeasts and molds. The higher EO concentration extended the microbiological shelf-life by 6 days, as judged by TVC and compared to the controls (aerobic and vacuum packaging) but was unacceptable sensorially. The lower EO concentration increased the microbiological shelf-life by 3 days and the sensorial shelf-life by 9 and > 12 days, under aerobic and vacuum conditions, respectively.