Red wine marinades as a vehicle to control bacterial contamination on beef

Abstract

Marinades tested were red wine-based, without additives (BM), or with added virgin olive oil (BM+VOO) or essential oils of Juniperus communis and Satureja montana (BM+JS). Beef samples were marinated for 24h and additionally stored at 4°C, for 7 days. Antibacterial effect against inoculated Listeria monocytogenes and total aerobic heterotrophic mesophylls (AHM) was monitored. Compared to saline, marinades notably reduced the bacterial counts during marination period and maintained them during post-marination meat storage. Effect of BM+VOO and BM+JS was more pronounced, comparing to BM. That was especially noticeable at the end of storage, with determined counts of log CFU/g being 7.51, 5.81, 3.91 and 3.92 for L. monocytogenes, and 8.2, 6.2, 4.4 and 4.2 for AHM, in saline, BM, BM+VOO and BM+JS, respectively. Red wine marinades with virgin olive oil or oils of J. communis and S. montana could be used as a vehicle to control bacterial contamination on beef, especially L. monocytogenes.