Kim Minhyeong, Bae Su Min, Yoo Yeongmi, Park Jibin, Jeong Jong Youn
Department of Food Science & Biotechnology, Kyungsung University, Busan 48434, Republic of Korea.
Brain Busan 21 Plus Project Team, Kyungsung University, Busan 48434, Republic of Korea.
Foods. 2025 Jul 11;14(14):2442. doi: 10.3390/foods14142442.
The clean-label movement has markedly increased consumer demand for meat products free from synthetic additives, such as sodium nitrite, ascorbate, and phosphate. This review summarizes strategies to replace these additives with natural alternatives while preserving the functional and quality properties of traditionally cured meats. Nitrite replacement commonly employs nitrate-rich vegetables, alongside nitrate-reducing starter cultures or pre-converted nitrite powders for adequate nitric oxide production and meat pigment stabilization. Ascorbate substitutes include vitamin C-rich materials and polyphenol-based antioxidants from green tea and rosemary, supporting nitrite reduction and contributing to meat pigment and oxidative stability. To compensate for phosphate functions, natural substitutes such as hydrocolloids, dietary fibers, protein isolates, and calcium powders from eggshells or oyster shells have shown partial success in restoring water-holding capacity, pH buffering, and textural integrity. In addition, non-thermal processing technologies, such as high-pressure processing, ultrasound, and cold plasma are explored as complementary strategies to enhance the efficacy of natural ingredients and support industrial scalability. However, challenges persist regarding ingredient variability, dose-dependent effects, and consistency in functional performance. Future research should focus on synergistic ingredient combinations, formulation standardization, and scalable application in industrial production to ensure the production of high-quality clean-label meat products.
清洁标签运动显著提高了消费者对不含亚硝酸钠、抗坏血酸盐和磷酸盐等合成添加剂的肉类产品的需求。本综述总结了用天然替代品替代这些添加剂的策略，同时保留传统腌制肉类的功能和品质特性。亚硝酸盐替代通常采用富含硝酸盐的蔬菜，以及能还原硝酸盐的发酵剂培养物或预转化的亚硝酸盐粉末，以产生足够的一氧化氮并稳定肉类色素。抗坏血酸盐替代品包括富含维生素C的材料以及来自绿茶和迷迭香的多酚类抗氧化剂，它们有助于减少亚硝酸盐，并有助于肉类色素和氧化稳定性。为了补偿磷酸盐的功能，诸如水胶体、膳食纤维、分离蛋白以及来自蛋壳或牡蛎壳的钙粉等天然替代品在恢复持水能力、pH缓冲和质地完整性方面已取得部分成功。此外，诸如高压处理、超声和冷等离子体等非热加工技术也被探索作为补充策略，以提高天然成分的功效并支持工业规模生产。然而，在成分变异性、剂量依赖性效应和功能性能一致性方面仍然存在挑战。未来的研究应集中在协同成分组合、配方标准化以及在工业生产中的可扩展应用，以确保生产出高质量的清洁标签肉类产品。
