Preparation, Antibacterial Mechanism of Natural Antimicrobial-Loaded Nanoemulsions and Their Application in Meat Preservation: A Literature Review

Meat and meat products are rich in nutrients such as protein and fat and prone to spoilage during processing or improper storage due to microbial contamination. Natural antimicrobial agents have been widely used as meat preservatives because of their excellent antibacterial activity, safety, and biodegradability. However, some natural antimicrobial agents are of high volatility, low water solubility, and thermal instability, which limits their application in meat and meat products preservation. Nanoemulsions can allow incorporation of natural antimicrobial agents into their interior to improve the stability, antibacterial activity and release performance of natural antimicrobial agents, thus alleviating their limitations. In this review, the composition, preparation methods, antibacterial mechanism of natural antimicrobial-loaded nanoemulsions are summarized. Furthermore, the recent progress in the application of natural antimicrobial-loaded nanoemulsions in meat preservation is discussed to provide theoretical basis and practical guidance for the application of natural antimicrobial-loaded nanoemulsions in meat and meat product preservation.