Effect of Natural Essential Oil Combined with Plasma on Preservation of Salted Duck and Regulation of Lipid Oxidation

To regulate lipid oxidation caused by plasma treatment in meat, this study investigated the effect of treatment with essential oil blend in combination with cold plasma (CP) on the preservation and lipid oxidation of salted duck. Oregano oil, cinnamon oil, and rosemary were used to prepare the essential oil blend. Meanwhile, the effect of CP treatment on the antibacterial properties, total phenolic content, and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity of the essential oil blend was investigated. In addition, the total bacterial count, E. coli count, color, and lipid oxidation of salted duck after treatment were measured during an 18-day storage period. Results showed that the total phenolic content and DPPH radical scavenging capacity of the essential oil blend were not affected significantly by CP treatment. But the essential oil at a concentration ranging from 0.100% to 0.125% combined with CP reduced the E. coli count by 8(lg(CFU/mL)). Moreover, the combined treatment could significantly increase the storage life of salted duck with no significant effect on meat color, and reduce the thiobarbituric acid reactive substance value from 6.87 mg/kg to 4.58 mg/kg compared to the CP treated group.