Evaluation of the Inhibitory Effectiveness of Extracts from Capparis Spinosa Leaves A\and Flowers on the Microbial, Chemical, and Sensory Quality of Local Minced Beef During Cold Storage At 4°C

The quality deterioration of ground beef during refrigerated storage is very rapid due to lipid oxidation and microbial contamination. The objective of this research was to assess the inhibitory ability of extracts rich in phenolic compounds and tannins obtained from the leaves and flowers of the caper plant (Capparis spinosa L.) at concentrations of (0.25 and 0.50% w/w) on the microbial, chemical and sensory characteristics of local ground beef stored at 4 ± 1 °C for 10 days. Results indicated significant (P < 0.05) inhibition of total viable count (TPC) and lipid oxidation (TBARS) in leaf- and flower-extract-treated samples compared to the control. On day 10, the total bacterial count in the control sample was above the allowable limit of microbial acceptability (7.42 Log10 CFU/g), while the samples treated with flower extract at 0.50% concentration maintained a low microbial load (6.14 Log10 CFU/g). Likewise, on day 10, TBARS values in the control reached 2.25 mg MDA/kg, which was above the rancidity threshold (1.0 mg MDA/kg), while all caper treatments kept the TBARS values within a range of 0.41 - 0.57 mg MDA/kg. Sensory evaluation showed that the flower extract 0.50% was effective in preserving color, odor, texture and overall appearance without producing any off-flavors. These results demonstrate extracts of caper plant as an effective natural preservative for extending the shelf life of refrigerated ground beef.