Marination as a hurdle to microbial pathogens and spoilers in poultry meat products: a brief review

Poultry meat, due to its low price and nutritional value, is a healthy and easily accessible option for many households worldwide. Poultry consumption is, therefore, expected to continue to grow. However, this increase may lead to the rising numbers of cases of bacterial gastroenteritis, as poultry meat often carries foodborne pathogens such as Campylobacter spp. and Salmonella spp. While the current on-farm biosecurity programs and food safety management systems implemented by the poultry industry are intended to mitigate the presence of these pathogens, some find their way to the retail level, posing a risk to the consumer. A safeguard for the consumer could potentially result from meat marination. However, the current marinated meat products sold on the market aim to extend the shelf life and overall taste and tenderness of the meat rather than its safety. Marination could be optimised not only to reduce any foodborne pathogen present in the meat but also to increase the shelf life reducing waste at the retail level. Formulations composed of various ingredients with different active principles may be used to achieve this objective. Wines present a superb component for marinades. Due to their complex nature, wines possess organic acids, phenolic compounds, and ethanol, all of which own significant antimicrobial potential. Essential oils may be another option. By combining different active principles in a marinade, we could potentially reduce the concentrations of the overall bactericidal ingredients. The objective of this review was to analyse the recent studies in this field and try to understand the best options for developing a convenient, natural-based bactericidal marinade.