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Applied Sciences
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Quality, Safety, and Functional Properties of Meat and Meat Products
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Quality, Safety, and Functional Properties of Meat and Meat Products

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Science and Technology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 October 2026 | Viewed by 4682

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Marta Chmiel

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Food Sciences, Department of Food Technology and Assessment, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, 159C Nowoursynowska Street, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
Interests: meat packaging; meat quality; beef aging; meat technology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Lech Adamczak

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Food Technology and Assessment, Institute of Food Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland
Interests: meat quality; meat composition; meat products quality
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue will present cutting-edge research on and recent advancements in meat science, with particular emphasis on the quality, safety, and functional attributes of meat and meat products. In response to increasing consumer demand for food that is both safe and nutritious, sustainable, and of superior sensory quality, it is crucial to explore and adopt innovative strategies in meat processing, preservation, and evaluation.

We invite original research articles and comprehensive review papers that address emerging technologies, advanced quality assessment techniques, safety standards, novel preservation methods, and functional ingredient incorporation, as well as their effects on the nutritional, sensory, and technological properties of meat products. This Special Issue will provide a platform for interdisciplinary dialogue and inspire future innovations that align with the evolving needs of both the industry and consumers.

Dr. Marta Chmiel
Dr. Lech Adamczak
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • meat quality
  • functional properties
  • food safety
  • meat processing
  • shelf-life extension
  • bioactive compounds in meat and meat products
  • sensory evaluation

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 1240 KB  
Article
Application of Environmental Lactic Acid Bacteria in the Production of Mechanically Separated Poultry Meat Against Coagulase-Positive Staphylococci
by Beata Łaszkiewicz, Anna Łepecka, Anna Okoń, Urszula Siekierko and Piotr Szymański
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(24), 13032; https://doi.org/10.3390/app152413032 - 10 Dec 2025
Viewed by 514
Abstract
The study aimed to assess the effect of applying selected strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to the surface of poultry bones before mechanical deboning on the microbiological quality and selected physicochemical characteristics of the mechanically separated poultry meat (MSPM) obtained. Three selected [...] Read more.
The study aimed to assess the effect of applying selected strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to the surface of poultry bones before mechanical deboning on the microbiological quality and selected physicochemical characteristics of the mechanically separated poultry meat (MSPM) obtained. Three selected LAB strains—Lactiplantibacillus plantarum SCH1, Limosilactobacillus fermentum S8, and Pediococcus pentosaceus KL14—were applied to chicken bones (carcasses) and subjected to cold storage for 3 days, and then the meat was mechanically deboned using high-pressure separation. The obtained product (MSPM) was tested after 1, 3, and 5 days of refrigerated storage. A comprehensive set of physicochemical analyses was performed, including pH and redox potential, TBARS, fatty acid profile, and colour assessment. The following microbiological determinations were also carried out: total viable count, mesophilic lactic acid bacteria, Escherichia coli count, Enterobacteriaceae count, and coagulase-positive staphylococci count. The strains used, especially L. plantarum SCH1, reduced the number of coagulase-positive staphylococci in MSPM, providing protection compared to the control samples (p < 0.05). No inhibitory effect of the LAB used was observed on Enterobacteriaceae and E. coli. The total number of microorganisms and the number of lactic acid bacteria were similar in all treatments. Significant effects of adding selected strains of LAB on lowering the pH and changing the redox potential of MSPM were observed (p < 0.05). The L* parameter (lightness) of the MSPM colour increased, while the proportion of red colour (a*) decreased (p < 0.05). However, the bacteria used did not protect against oxidation processes, which proceeded faster in MSPM samples containing bacterial strains, as demonstrated by the TBARS test and fatty acid profile. The research conducted is promising, particularly in terms of reducing coagulase-positive staphylococci in MSPM production. However, further research on the impact of selected LAB on oxidative processes in MSPM is necessary. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Quality, Safety, and Functional Properties of Meat and Meat Products)
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15 pages, 275 KB  
Article
Sous-Vide Processing as a Method for Standardising the Quality of Beef from Holstein-Friesian Bulls: The Effect of Time on Tenderness
by Katarzyna Tkacz, Zenon Nogalski and Monika Modzelewska-Kapituła
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(22), 12282; https://doi.org/10.3390/app152212282 - 19 Nov 2025
Viewed by 904
Abstract
Beef from dairy breeds such as Holstein–Friesian (HO) often shows high variability in tenderness, particularly in locomotive muscles such as semimembranosus (SM). This study evaluated whether sous-vide (SV) cooking at 60 °C for different times could standardise eating quality across raw material of [...] Read more.
Beef from dairy breeds such as Holstein–Friesian (HO) often shows high variability in tenderness, particularly in locomotive muscles such as semimembranosus (SM). This study evaluated whether sous-vide (SV) cooking at 60 °C for different times could standardise eating quality across raw material of divergent initial tenderness. SM muscles (2.5–3.0 kg) from HO bulls (n = 22) were vacuum-packed and cooked for 3, 4 or 6 h. Proximate composition, pH, water-holding capacity, colour, Warner–Bratzler shear force (WBSF) and sensory attributes were determined. Raw meat showed uniform chemical composition; however, there were considerable differences in WBSF values (from 30 N to 80 N) in meat cooked using the conventional water-bath cooking method. SV significantly improved tenderness, with cooking losses increasing moderately with time. In line with our hypothesis, sous-vide processing unified the heterogeneous SM muscles in terms of tenderness, with all samples reaching WBSF values below the 42.87 N threshold, and the time of 4 h proved to be the optimal duration. Extending cooking to 6 h provided no additional sensory benefits and increased cooking loss. Colour changes reflected myoglobin oxidation (lower a* and C*, higher h°), whereas juiciness remained stable. These findings indicate that SV for 4 h at 60 °C is the optimal combination, delivering consistent tenderness in SM from HO bulls which can serve as a practical strategy for improving the culinary value of beef from dairy breeds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Quality, Safety, and Functional Properties of Meat and Meat Products)
15 pages, 337 KB  
Article
Effects of Salicornia Extract on the Quality, Shelf-Life, and Functional Properties of Beef Patties During Refrigerated Storage
by Gulzhan Tokysheva, Damilya Konysbayeva, Malika Myrzabayeva, Gulnazym Ospankulova, Kalamkas Dairova and Kadyrzhan Makangali
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(21), 11751; https://doi.org/10.3390/app152111751 - 4 Nov 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 878
Abstract
Clean-label preservation of beef patties remains challenging due to rapid oxidative and microbiological spoilage during refrigeration. Incorporating Salicornia extract yielded clear, dose-dependent quality gains over 15 days at 4 ± 1 °C. Relative to the control, 1.5% Salicornia lowered secondary lipid oxidation by [...] Read more.
Clean-label preservation of beef patties remains challenging due to rapid oxidative and microbiological spoilage during refrigeration. Incorporating Salicornia extract yielded clear, dose-dependent quality gains over 15 days at 4 ± 1 °C. Relative to the control, 1.5% Salicornia lowered secondary lipid oxidation by 42% (TBARS: 1.15 vs. 1.98 mg MDA/kg) and primary oxidation by 33% (PV: 3.30 vs. 4.95 meq O2/kg), while maintaining a substantially higher antioxidant status (TPC: 20.6 vs. 6.8 mg GAE/100 g; DPPH: 45.8% vs. 14.5%). Microbiological loads were attenuated (SPC: 4.88 vs. 6.20 log CFU/g; psychrotrophs: 1.46 vs. 2.00 log CFU/g; yeasts/molds: 1.44 vs. 1.74 log CFU/g), accompanied by moderated physicochemical drift (pH: 6.16 vs. 5.86; a_w: 0.847 vs. 0.828). Color retention was markedly improved, with higher redness and lower overall discoloration (a*: 13.6 vs. 9.8; ΔE*: 3.96 vs. 9.13). The 1.0% treatment showed intermediate benefits, indicating a robust dose response. Collectively, these outcomes demonstrate that 1.0–1.5% Salicornia delivers multifaceted protection, limiting lipid oxidation, curbing microbial growth, preserving color, and stabilizing matrix attributes, thereby extending the refrigerated shelf-life of beef patties and supporting clean-label reformulation, particularly when combined with oxygen-limiting packaging. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Quality, Safety, and Functional Properties of Meat and Meat Products)
24 pages, 772 KB  
Article
Microbial Spoilage Dynamics, Free Amino Acid Profile Alterations, and Biogenic Amine Accumulation in Beef Under Different Packaging Systems During Extended Storage
by Marta Chmiel, Olga Świder, Daria Padewska, Elżbieta Hać-Szymańczuk, Lech Adamczak, Aneta Cegiełka, Tomasz Florowski, Dorota Pietrzak, Iwona Szymańska, Marcin Bryła and Marek Łukasz Roszko
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(18), 9882; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15189882 - 9 Sep 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1896
Abstract
This study evaluated the microbiological quality, free amino acid profile (FAAs), and the biogenic amine (BA) accumulation in beef steaks during extended storage under 0–4 °C in modified atmosphere (MAP O2/CO2/N2): MAP80/20/0, MAP70/20/10, MAP60/20/20, and vacuum (VP). [...] Read more.
This study evaluated the microbiological quality, free amino acid profile (FAAs), and the biogenic amine (BA) accumulation in beef steaks during extended storage under 0–4 °C in modified atmosphere (MAP O2/CO2/N2): MAP80/20/0, MAP70/20/10, MAP60/20/20, and vacuum (VP). The VP meat had significantly higher Enterobacteriaceae counts than MAP meat, influencing BA accumulation. The total plate count (TPC) exceeded the acceptable fresh meat limit (107 cfu/g) on day 28 of beef storage, regardless of packaging method. The dynamics of the changes in the FAAs differed between VP and MAP beef throughout storage, which affected the BAs’ formation. From day 14 of storage, VP beef steaks had lower or significantly lower content of (p ≤ 0.05) FAAs such as histidine, lysine, ornithine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, and tyrosine, and significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher content of BAs such as histamine, cadaverine, putrescine, 2-phenylethylamine, tryptamine and tyramine compared to MAP beef. Based on BAI values, VP beef was spoiled on day 14, which was two weeks earlier than MAP beef, demonstrating that vacuum packaging promotes faster BA accumulation, due to the growth of Enterobacteriaceae under low-oxygen conditions. MAP provided more stable microbiological quality and lower BAI values of beef during storage than VP. No differences in shelf life between various MAP gas mixtures were observed; however MAP 80/20/0 slowed down the formation of biogenic amines, which was reflected by lower BAI values. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Quality, Safety, and Functional Properties of Meat and Meat Products)
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