Fresh chicken liver meat was packaged in air or under modified atmosphere packaging (MAP; 30%CO(2)/70%N(2)) and stored under refrigeration (4 degrees C). The following treatments were used: A (control samples, air packaging), AE [(EDTA (20 mM), air packaging)]. M (MAP), ME (EDTA, stored under MAP), MER1 [(EDTA, oregano oil (0.1% v/wt), stored under MAP)) and MER2 [(EDTA, oregano oil (0.3% v/wt), stored under MAP)]. Quality evaluation of product stored under above packaging conditions and treated with EDTA and oregano oil was conducted using microbiological, chemical and sensory analyses. Based on mesophilic total viable counts (TVC) a microbiological shelf-life extension of 7, 9, 15 or >15 days was obtained for M, ME, MER1 or MER2 liver samples, respectively, compared to the control's (A) shelf-life of 3 days. Air-packaged liver samples showed higher pH values in the first 8 days of storage compared to M, ME, MER1 and MER2 samples, with the latter showing a significant decrease at the end of the storage period. Interestingly, the presence of the oregano oil in MER1 and MER2 liver resulted in a lower production of TBA compared to all other samples. Based on sensory analysis, MER1 and MER2 extended the shelf-life of chicken liver by 14-15 days, while treatments M and ME by 7 and 9 days, respectively. Our results support the hypothesis that the shelf-life of chicken liver meat may substantially be extended (by almost 3 times the usual product's shelf-life using a natural antimicrobial combination (EDTA, oregano oil and MAP). (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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