Use of ethanolic leaf extract for the bio-control of post-cooking contamination in cooked chicken meat.

Controlling foodborne pathogen in ready-to-eat food is important in food safety. The present study accessed the potential use of ethanolic leaf extract as a bio-control agent against in cooked chicken meat model system. The antilisterial activity of the plant extract was better under microwave condition and enhanced as storage temperature increased from 4 to 37 °C. The extract could reduce numbers at low (10 CFU/g) and high (10 CFU/g) inoculum levels in cooked chicken by both rinse and injection application methods. A 5 min rinse in 8% w/v extract reduced the bacterial number by ≥2-log before storage and ≥3-log after storage at 4 °C for 5 days. Injection with 0.4% w/w extract resulted in approximately 2-log reduction in the cell numbers both before and after storage at 4 °C for 5 days. Five minutes rinse in the extract bath demonstrated better sensory preferences which were not significantly different from the control. Addition of black pepper powder to the extract rinsed samples improved odour but not appearance, colour, and texture preferences. extract was significantly effective for the bio-control of contaminations in cooked chicken meat model. The extract was observed as a potent bio-additive agent to control contaminations from and ensure safety in ready-to-eat meat.