Role of olive leaves extract as antioxidant and antimicrobial in quality preservation Karadi sheep meats during frozen storage

The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of natural extract of olive leaves on the quality meat properties in sheep meat, meat cubes were prepared from lean steaks of leg cuts from Karadi sheep carcasses, After that excess fat and connective tissue were trimmed from meat, meat cubes were treated with 1%, 3% and 5% olive leaves extract (OLE) and 0.01% BHT and untreated control treatment stored at -18oC for 60 days and evaluated for chemical and microbial attributes at 0, 30 and 60 days of frozen storage. Results obtained can be summarized as follows:1. It appears that meat samples treated with 3% or 5% OLE had lower TBA values (1.32 and 1.61 mg MDA/ kg meat) respectively, and followed the BHT and 1% OLE treatments, which were 1.98 and 2.23 mg MDA/ kg meat respectively, and followed the control treatment (3.66 mg MDA/ kg meat) after 60 days of frozen storage.2. It seems that addition of olive leaves extract at concentrations of 3% or 5% OLE to sheep meat samples retarded metmyoglobin formation by 32.12 and 32.61% respectively as compared with control treatment (51.30%), 1% OLE (47.83%) and BHT treatment (36.49%) after 60 days of frozen storage.3. It is observed that meat samples treated with 3% or 5% OLE were more effective as a natural antioxidant and antibacterial than synthetic antioxidant (BHT) and 1% OLE treatment in retarding total volatile nitrogen (TVN) formation after 60 days of frozen storage as compared with control treatment.4. It seems that meat samples treated with 3% or 5% OLE had inhibitor effects for total plate count. Psychrotrophic bacteria of sheep meat after 60 days of frozen storage in comparison to other treatments.It can be concluded that the treated sheep meat with olive leaf extract at concentrations 3% or 5% were more effective as antioxidant and antimicrobial in retarding of lipid oxidation and total volatile nitrogen formation, stabilizing of meat colour and meat proteins and inhibition of microbial growth of sheep meat as compared with synthetic antioxidant (BHT) and 1% OLE control treatment during frozen storage for 60 days.