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Introduction
Due to their high fat content, meat and meat products are subject to oxidative rancidity (Bhat et al. , 2015). Besides having a negative effect on the quality of meat and meat products, it is also responsible for changes in sensory attributes and nutritional quality (Rababah et al. , 2004; Kenawi et al. , 2011). To inhibit the development of oxidative reactions in meat products, natural and synthetic antioxidants have been commonly used in meat industry (Estéves and Cava, 2006). However, increasing preference for natural foods has obliged the food industry to include natural antioxidants in various products to delay oxidative degradation of lipids, improve quality and nutritional value of foods and replace synthetic antioxidants (Camo et al. , 2008; Fasseas et al. , 2007). An increased interest has been directed towards plant-based extracts as a source of phenolic antioxidants (Skerget et al. , 2005) and antimicrobials in meat and meat products (Velasco and Pamela, 2011 ) . Waste products like peel and seed fractions of some fruits have higher bioactivities than the pulp fractions, so their processing offers a practical and economic source of potent antioxidants that could replace synthetic preservatives (Naveena et al. , 2008; Balasundram et al. , 2006). Use of natural antioxidants may afford the meat industry an opportunity to develop novel meat products with improved shelf life and quality and enhanced health benefits. Although enough literature is available regarding the use of natural antioxidants from source like rosemary, sea buckthorn, sage and oregano, however, very little literature is available about the use of pomegranate seed, grape seed and tomato in the development of meat products.
The pomegranate (Punica granutam ) is one of the oldest known edible fruit, and there has been renewed global interest on the functional and nutraceutical benefits of this fruit (Summer et al. , 2005). It possesses enormous antioxidants activity (Lansky and Newman, 2007) and is rich in bioactive compounds, mainly polyphenols and anthocyanins, with known health benefits, and is effective in prevention of atherosclerosis, low-density lipoprotein oxidation, prostate cancer, platelet aggregation and various cardiovascular diseases (Adhami and Mukhtar, 2006).
Grapes (Vitis vinifera ) have been heralded for the medicinal and nutritional value for thousands of years. Among all the parts of...