Salmonella is one the most important pathogenic bacteria, which causes food poisoning in human consumers worldwide. This study aimed to detect the prevalence and serovars of Salmonella in beef in markets of Hama city, Syria. The study was carried out on 200 beef samples from 20 retail shops in markets of Hama city, Syria. Investigation was conducted using bacterial cultures and serotyping. Bacterial cultures showed that 11 samples out of 200 samples from different retail shops were positive, with an overall prevalence of 5.5% (95% CI: 2.34–8.66). The isolated serotypes were S. Typhimurium (36.36%), S. Enteritidis (27.27%), S. Reading (9.09%), S. Bredeney (9.09%), S. Chester (9.09%), and S. Anatum (9.09%). Significantly higher (p<0.05) prevalence was revealed in the east district (8%, 4/50) compared to other districts, in informal shops (7.5%, 6/80) than in other outlets, in female animals (10%, 4/40) compared to male animals, in slaughtered animals at the age of more than 12 months (7.5%; 6/80), in summer (12%, 6/50) compared to other seasons, in unclean shops (7.38%, 9/122), and in liver (7.5%, 6/80) compared to other meat types. These results are considered an important threat to public health and indicate food contamination.

This review examines the impact of fast food consumption on health and its role in the development of chronic diseases that accelerate the aging process. A comprehensive literature review was conducted to explore the relationship between fast food intake and the onset of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, and obesity, all of which are associated with premature aging. The findings indicate that fast foods high in fat and sugar contribute to chronic inflammation — a phenomenon referred to as “inflammageing”, which damages the vascular system and heightens the risk of cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis and heart failure. Additionally, metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance and dyslipidemia disrupt glucose homeostasis, further exacerbating chronic inflammation and promoting accelerated aging. Moreover, fast food consumption is linked to an increased risk of cancer, largely due to the presence of carcinogenic compounds in processed meats and the obesity epidemic, which amplifies aging through mechanisms involving chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and hormonal imbalances. Collectively, these factors impair immune function and elevate the risk of neurodegenerative diseases. Consequently, fast food consumption significantly contributes to premature aging by fostering chronic inflammation, metabolic disorders, and oxidative stress. Urgent public health interventions are necessary to mitigate these adverse effects and promote healthier dietary patterns, to enhance quality of life and longevity.

Green processing technologies are revolutionizing the meat industry by addressing the environmental and health challenges associated with traditional meat processing methods. This review explores several novel green technologies, including high-pressure processing (HPP), cold plasma, ultrasound, pulsed electric field (PEF) processing, and fermentation. These technologies offer significant improvements in terms of energy efficiency, waste reduction, and reduction of chemical additives. This review examines their operational principles, current research findings, and emerging applications. Additionally, the review highlights the integration of these technologies, their environmental impact, economic feasibility, and regulatory landscape. The findings suggest that while green technologies hold substantial promise for enhancing sustainability in meat processing, further research and industry adoption are necessary to fully realize their potential.

The number of plant proteases that still not applied is the subject of this research. This study was to test the effectiveness of plant protease in Sechium edule, Cosmos caudatus Kunth, and Medicago sativa L. in meat tenderization. The research included goat meat and beef that was sprinkled with extracts (15% w/w) of chayote fruit (Sechium edule), kenikir leaf (Cosmos caudatus Kunth), and Alfalfa sprout extract (Medicago sativa L.). The process was carried out at 50°С, for 30 and 60 min. SDS-PAGE (sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis) analysis was performed to see the degradation zone, while SEM (scanning electron methods) analysis was performed to inspect the condition of the meat connective tissue. The findings of the study showed that all three plant proteases were able to tenderize beef and goat meat. Cosmos caudatus Kunth extract showed the highest effectiveness in degrading beef proteins in the zone of 10–22 kDa (small peptide — troponin I) and α and β tropomyosin (33 kDa) with VMax = 0.134 µg/µL/min and KM = 17.05 µg/µL. In goat meat, the extract was only able to degrade the small peptide area and troponin C (10–17.5 kDa; VMax = 0.087 µg/µL/min; KM = 7.23 µg/µL). Conclusion: all three plant proteases proved to be effective in the process of beef and goat meat tenderization.

Cultivated meat technology is a new and pretty controversial food technology presented as a method of meat production without dependence on large-scale farming of industrial livestock. It is based on the principles of people’s humanistic attitude to animals and environmental care. The article summarizes the results of the “life cycle” assessment of the cultivated meat and the possible environmental effect of its production technology on global warming. The presented review is aimed at assessing consumer perception of cultivated meat by analyzing and systematizing the results of previous studies that examined the consumers’ attitudes to the risks and benefits of the alternative meat. Systematized research data allowed identifying key factors that influence onto the consumers’ perception of the food products. For example, one of the main reasons for a negative attitude towards cultivated meat is food neophobia. In addition, differences in this product acceptance by various consumers groups were analyzed. Generalization of the results allowed systematizing the motivators and barriers that may affect the mass consumption of the cultivated meat in the future, taking into account the innovations in the new food technologies development. Acceptance rates of the cultivated meat vary in relevance with demographics, socio-cultural, religious, ethical perceptions and traditions. However, it should be noted that there is no consensus on the perceived advantages, disadvantages, threats and opportunities of the consumers’ acceptance of the cultivated meat. This review notes that a number of studies show a relatively high level of consumer/population willingness to try the cultivated meat. However, the acceptance rates of the cultivated meat are generally lower than for other alternative proteins (e. g. legumes, plant-based meat). The main negative factor in the acceptance of the cultivated meat is that consumers perceive the cultivated meat as the unnatural one.

The study therefore examines various issues related to the formation of both positive and negative attitudes towards the cultivated meat. It also helps to better understanding the consumers’ psychology and allows more accurate prediction of their behavior.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of replacing nitrite with ginger powder in brine on the quality of cured beef. Five kilograms of fresh beef from a mature White Fulani bull was purchased and used for this study. The excessive fat and connective tissues were trimmed off the meat, and the meat slab was chilled at 4°C for 24 hours before further processing. Nitrite, salt, dextrose and ginger powder were purchased, measured out to prepare brine solution of five concentration levels each level constituted a mode of treatment, where T0 served as control reference sample with nitrite, which nitrite was replaced with ginger power in the following concentrations: T1 = 10%, T2 = 15%, T3 = 20% and T4 = 25%. The beef was cured with brine injecting and immersing the samples into brine solution for 72 hours, and refrigerated at 4°C. The cured beef samples were taken out of the brine, rinsed, wrapped into foil paper and baked in the oven at 204°C for 20 mins and cooled to room temperature (27°C). Cured beef samples data were analysed with the help of analysis of variance (ANOVA) following the procedures of SAS (2002) with means significance determined at p < 0.05. There were significant differences (p < 0.05) in the physical properties, proximate analysis, vitamin and mineral contents, microbial loads and organoleptic characteristics of beef cured with ginger powder in brine, in T3 featuring the best-quality and highest (p < 0.05) overall acceptability. In conclusion, ginger powder used in this study as replacement of nitrite enhanced the overall quality of cured beef without detrimental consequences for the consumers, especially in T3 which concentration was therefore recommended.

This research investigated the effects of substituting tapioca flour with purple sweet potato flour (PSPF) on the physicochemical properties, antioxidant activity, and microstructure of chicken meatballs during cold storage. Purple sweet potato is rich in anthocyanins, which act as natural antioxidants and colorants, potentially enhancing the functional properties of meat products. Chicken meatballs were formulated with different levels of PSPF substitution (0%, 5%, 10%, and 15%) and evaluated for cooking loss, water holding capacity (WHC), gel strength, pH, color, total anthocyanin content, lipid oxidation, and scavenging activity over 15 days at 4 °C. Results showed that PSPF substitution significantly influenced cooking loss, WHC, gel strength, and color. The addition of PSPF increased total anthocyanin content and antioxidant activity, contributing to enhanced oxidative stability by inhibiting lipid oxidation. Microstructural analysis revealed that PSPF substitution led to a more homogeneous and compact matrix, reducing the porous nature of the meatballs. However, excessive substitution (≥10%) resulted in a decline in WHC and gel strength. The findings suggest that incorporating PSPF in chicken meatballs at a substitution level of up to 10% improves antioxidant properties while maintaining acceptable texture and physicochemical characteristics. This approach could serve as a natural alternative to synthetic antioxidants like butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), aligning with the growing demand for healthier and functional meat products.

This study investigates the impact of dipping in food-grade citric acid on the shelf-life extension of fresh camel meat stored at refrigeration temperature. Fresh camel meat slices were treated with citric acid at concentrations of 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5%. The samples were then drip-dried packed into the vinyl acetate packs (VAP) and stored in a refrigerator at 5°C for 15 days. The parameters studied included pH, water activity, Hunter color values, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) values, and total plate count (TPC). The pH of the treated samples decreased in comparison with the initial value of 5.30 (untreated sample) to a range within 4.20–4.47. The treated samples showed lower water activity values (0.95–0.99) than the control samples (0.97–0.987), especially the samples treated with 1.5% citric acid (0.95). The water activity (aw) values did not significantly differ among the treated samples. The control sample had an initial a* (a* — redness as per the colour chart) value of 16.4. Dipping the samples in citric acid significantly reduced the a* values to a range of 7.3 to 11.6. The red colour values in the control sample decreased during its storage to a range of 12.8 to 14.3. On the first day of treatment, the control sample exhibited a TBARS value of 0.26 mg/kg MA, which was significantly higher than that of the treated samples. The samples dipped in a 1.00% acid solution demonstrated the lowest TBARS values at 0.12 mg/kg MA. The TBARS values levels for the samples treated with 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.00% citric acid were generally low, peaking at 0.23 to 0.29 mg of malondialdehyde/kg after 15 days. The control sample exhibited a total plate count (TPC) of 5.3 CFU/g, with no significant difference observed between the control sample and the sample treated with 0.5% citric acid. No microorganisms were detected on the first day in camel meat samples treated with citric acid at concentrations of 1.0% and 1.5%. At the end of the storage period, the TPC levels in acid-treated samples remained below 107 CFU/g on days 5th, 10th, and 15th. The shelf life of the treated camel meat was extended to 15 days.