{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,4]],"date-time":"2025-11-04T16:23:17Z","timestamp":1762273397349,"version":"3.44.0"},"reference-count":40,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,28]],"date-time":"2025-09-28T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1759017600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"FCT- Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology","award":["PEst-OE\/AGR\/UI0772\/2014"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PEst-OE\/AGR\/UI0772\/2014"]}]},{"name":"project Wasteless","award":["HORIZON-CL6-2022-FARM2FORK-01"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["HORIZON-CL6-2022-FARM2FORK-01"]}]},{"name":"Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology","award":["UIDB\/CVT\/00772\/2020","LA\/P\/0059\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDB\/CVT\/00772\/2020","LA\/P\/0059\/2020"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.mdpi.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Resources"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The search for natural additives from underutilized halophytes and fruit by-products aligns with circular economy principles, addressing consumer demand for healthier and more sustainable alternatives to salt and synthetic antioxidants in foods. Salicornia ramosissima, a halophytic plant rich in minerals, and Malpighia emarginata (acerola), a fruit rich in bioactive compounds, were selected for their potential to enhance meat preservation while reducing reliance on conventional salt and chemical additives. This study evaluated the effects of replacing salt with S. ramosissima powder (1% and 2%) and adding acerola extract (0.3%) in Mertolenga D.O.P. beef hamburgers. Control, 1% salt, acerola, and salicornia formulations were analyzed over 10 days for the following: (1) microbial counts (mesophiles, psychrotrophics, Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas spp., Brochothrix thermosphacta, lactic acid bacteria, fungi, Salmonella spp., and E. coli); (2) physicochemical parameters (pH, aw, and CIE-Lab color); and (3) sensory attributes (odor, color, and freshness). Higher Salicornia concentrations negatively affected color (lower a* values) and sensory perception (darker appearance). Acerola extract improved color stability and delayed the development of off-odors, contributing to higher freshness scores throughout storage. No significant differences in microbial counts were observed between treatments. Overall, acerola and low-dose Salicornia showed potential as natural ingredients for meat preservation, with minimal impact on physicochemical and microbiological quality. These findings support the use of halophytes and fruit extracts in sustainable meat preservation strategies.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/resources14100153","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,29]],"date-time":"2025-09-29T10:49:34Z","timestamp":1759142974000},"page":"153","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Natural Additives for Sustainable Meat Preservation: Salicornia ramosissima and Acerola Extract in Mertolenga D.O.P. Meat"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Gon\u00e7alo","family":"Melo","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0001-4806-4455","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Joana","family":"Paiva","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"},{"name":"Animal and Veterinary Science Centre (CECAV), University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"},{"name":"Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Science (AL4AnimalS), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6113-1456","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Carla","family":"Gon\u00e7alves","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CITAB\u2014Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"},{"name":"RISE HEALTH\u2014School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"},{"name":"Biology and Environment Department, School of Life Sciences and Environment, University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8857-4038","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"S\u00f3nia","family":"Saraiva","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"},{"name":"Animal and Veterinary Science Centre (CECAV), University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"},{"name":"Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Science (AL4AnimalS), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Madalena","family":"Faria","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0684-5472","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"T\u00e2nia","family":"Silva-Santos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Public Health of the University of Porto (ISPUP), 4050-600 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3276-9861","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"M\u00e1rcio","family":"Moura-Alves","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"},{"name":"Animal and Veterinary Science Centre (CECAV), University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"},{"name":"Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Science (AL4AnimalS), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6930-0728","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Juan","family":"Garc\u00eda-D\u00edez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"},{"name":"Animal and Veterinary Science Centre (CECAV), University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"},{"name":"Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Science (AL4AnimalS), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3810-5943","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jos\u00e9 M. 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M.","family":"de Almeida","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Applied Photonics, INESC TEC\u2014Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering, Technology and Science, 4150-179 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Department of Physics, School of Sciences and Technology, University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Humberto","family":"Rocha","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Promert\u2014Mertolenga Cattle Producers Association, 7006-806 \u00c9vora, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1657-0684","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Cristina","family":"Saraiva","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"},{"name":"Animal and Veterinary Science Centre (CECAV), University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"},{"name":"Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Science (AL4AnimalS), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,28]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Official Journal of the European Union (2014). 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