Acta Agriculturae Zhejiangensis ›› 2026, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (6): 1126-1140.DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1004-1524.20260104

• Future Foods and Health • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effects of thyme extract on antioxidant capacity and flavor of beef

ZHONG Hangyu1,2(), LU Wenjing2, CHEN Di2, ZHANG Cen2, WANG Yiran2, HE Jianlan3, HUANG Yuke4, XU Guangzhi1,*(), XIAO Chaogeng2,*()   

  1. 1 College of Food Science and Health, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
    2 Zhejiang-Russia Joint Laboratory on Green Manufacturing of Nutritious and Healthy Foods, Institute of Food Science, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, China
    3 Sichuan Yuanfang Food Co., Ltd., Bazhong 636600, Sichuan, China
    4 Wenzhou Dingnuo Food Co., Ltd., Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang, China
  • Received:2025-02-10 Online:2026-06-25 Published:2026-07-14

Abstract:

To screen natural antioxidants suitable for beef, optimize their application process, and clarify the effects of natural antioxidants on the antioxidant capacity and flavor of beef, eight spice extracts were investigated, using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging rate, 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging rate, color difference, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) value as evaluation indicators, the spice extract with the best antioxidant effect was selected. Taking TBARS value, redness (a*), and total sulfhydryl content as indicators, the mass fraction of the extract, treatment time and liquid-to-solid ratio for treating beef were optimized through single-factor experiments combined with response surface methodology. Changes in volatile components of beef before and after treatment under the optimal process conditions were analyzed. The results showed that among the eight spice extracts, thyme extract exhibited the best antioxidant effect. The optimal process conditions for treating beef with thyme extract obtained by response surface methodology were mass fraction of 0.15%, treatment time of 30 min, and liquid-to-solid ratio of 3∶1 (mg·L-1). Under these conditions, lipid and protein oxidation of beef were significantly inhibited, TBARS value was reduced, and high redness and total sulfhydryl content were maintained. Volatile component analysis revealed that thyme extract treatment reduced the generation of oxidative off-odor compounds in beef while retaining characteristic flavor components such as aldehydes and esters, thereby improving the flavor quality of the product. This study provides a theoretical basis and technical support for the application of thyme extract in the natural preservation and quality enhancement of beef.

Key words: thyme extract, process optimization, antioxidant acitivity, flavor compound

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