Use of a natural antioxidant, Cistus creticus extract, on lipid oxidation and shelf life of ready-to-eat beef cocktail sausages

The effect of Cistus creticus extract on the quality attributes of cocktail sausages was evaluated. For this purpose (1) the phenolic composition, total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, and antioxidant activity of Cistus extract were determined, and (2) quality parameters, such as lipid oxidation and the shelf life of sausages, were investigated. There were four treatments: a control (0.02% ascorbic acid and 0.05% sodium ascorbate) and Cistus (0.05%, 0.07%, and 0.1%). The radical scavenging activity of Cistus was high, and the IC50 value was 7.85 +/- 0.94 mu g/ml. The treatment with 0.1% Cistus showed antimicrobial activity against spoilage organisms and extended the shelf life of the cocktail sausages 1 week and provided lower lipid oxidation values throughout storage in comparison with the control treatment. Furthermore, the 0.1% Cistus treatment exhibited fewer total color differences during storage. This study demonstrated the potential of Cistus as a natural antioxidant alternative for sausage formulation. Novelty impact statement The water extract of Cistus creticus was rich with phenolic compounds, such as quercetin and gallic acid and displayed a high antioxidant capacity. Cocktail sausages formulated with C. creticus extract achieved comparable quality attributes with the sausages formulated with ascorbic acid and sodium ascorbate. This natural antioxidant can be used in the development of other healthier meat products.