Effect of Plum-Sour-Based Marination Liquids Enriched With Linalool and Eugenol on the Microbiological and Sensory Quality of Chicken Breast Meat

Herein, the effects of linalool and eugenol in a plum-sour-based marinade were investigated to extend the shelf life of vacuum-packed chicken breast fillets by controlling pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms. Chicken breast fillets were marinated in a plum-sour-based marinade containing linalool or eugenol at a ratio of 0.15% or 0.30%, as determined by the results of in vitro antibacterial analysis. The pH and microbiological quality of the samples were assessed on 0, 3, 6, and 9 days of storage. The dominant microorganisms in the chicken breast fillets were found to be TVC and Pseudomonas spp. The addition of essential active components to the marinade resulted in significant antibacterial effects compared to the control sample on day 9 of storage (p < 0.001). The linalool-added marinade was able to reduce the number of TVC and Pseudomonas spp. by 2.183 and 1.967 log units, respectively. On the other hand, the eugenol-added marinade reduced TVC and Pseudomonas spp. counts by 1.893 and 2.097 log units, respectively. The number of LABs decreased by 0.97–1.68 log units in all test groups compared to the control on day 9 of storage (p < 0.001). Total coliform counts were below the detection limit (< 1 log₁₀ CFU/g) in all experimental groups, while they increased in the control group during storage. The number of yeast and mold in the eugenol-containing test groups reduced significantly in comparison to all tested groups. Sensory evaluation of the samples showed that the 0.15% eugenol marinade had higher scores than the linalool marinade for all parameters tested.