Functional Olive Oils Infused with Mediterranean Herbs Enhance Cheese Preservation and Nutritional Profile

Résumé

The demand for functional foods has driven research into bioactive-enriched dietary products.In this study, olive oil was enriched with phenolic-rich herbs, including oregano, rosemary, basil, and thyme, using an optimized ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) process.The resulting infused oils were evaluated for their phenolic content, antioxidant capacity, oxidative stability, and effects on cheese preservation.Rosemary-infused oil exhibited the highest total phenolic content (556.1 mg GAE/kg) and oxidative stability in the Rancimat test (induction time of 82.25 h), while oregano-and basil-infused oils had the strongest DPPH radical scavenging capacity (IC 50 of 2.36-2.38 mg/mL).Cheese stored in these plant-infused oils showed reduced lipid oxidation and microbial growth over 21 days.The lowest content of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) was recorded in the cheese immersed in rosemary-and thyme-infused oils (0.53 and 0.66 mg MDA/kg cheese, respectively); whereas the untreated cheese had TBARS value of 2.98 mg MDA/kg cheese.Microbiological analysis revealed a reduction in counts of coliforms and yeasts and molds, particularly in the cheese treated with oregano-and basil-infused oils.These results highlight the potential of bioactive-enriched olive oils as natural preservatives and functional ingredients, extending cheese shelf life while enhancing its nutritional value.This study provides a foundation for developing innovative functional foods that integrate plant-derived antioxidants and antimicrobials into widely consumed products.

Citer ce document

Accès au document

Texte intégral en lecture en ligne, réservé aux abonnés SPHAERO et aux membres de l'institution. Se connecter

Auteur(s)

Statistiques

Consultations : 1

Téléchargements : 0