Antioxidant/antimicrobial potential of Emblica officinalis Gaertn and its application as a natural additive for shelf life extension of minced chicken meat

Indian gooseberry (Emblica officinalis Gaertn.) is an important fruit used in traditional Indian medicine. Gooseberry was air and freeze dried. The major bioactive components, antioxidant and antibacterial activity of freeze dried (FD) and air dried (AD) gooseberry extracted with three solvents were assessed. Overall, AD gooseberry extracted with 70% ethanol had the highest yield of bioactive compounds. The major phytochemicals identified in the extract by high performance liquid chromatography with UV-visible detector (HPLC-UV-vis) was ascorbic acid, caffeic acid, ellagic acid and ferulic acid. Gram positive bacteria tested were more sensitive to gooseberry extract (GE) as compared to Gram negative organisms. In minced chicken meat, GE was an effective natural food additive as it enhanced its shelf life during chilled storage. GE minimized both bacterial spoilage and oxidative rancidity in chicken. Air dried gooseberry extract (AD-GE) due to its antioxidant and antibacterial activities can be efficiently used as a natural food additive in meat preservation.