Essential oils, natural ingredients extracted from plants, can effectively inhibit the growth of microorganisms, but their excessive use may damage the sensory quality of food. The application of new non-thermal sterilization technologies can inhibit the growth of microorganisms, but high-intensity physical technologies may affect the quality of products. It has been proved that the combination of plant essential oils and non-thermal technologies can reduce the use of essential oils, reduce the power of non-thermal technologies and shorten the processing time. In this paper, the application of plant essential oils combined with cold plasma, high pressure processing or irradiation in the preservation of meat products is discussed. The inhibition effect and mechanism on bacterial growth are outlined. Hopefully, this review will provide a theoretical basis for the combined application of plant essential oils and non-thermal technologies in the preservation of meat products.

In order to improve the structural strength and stability of high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) and to meet the actual requirements of 3D printing inks and fat substitutes, this study used gelatin-soybean protein isolate composite micromicelles as an emulsifier to prepare HIPEs. In addition, self-assembled chitosan (CS) nanoparticles at different concentrations were introduced to improve the self-supporting capacity and stability of HIPEs. The results showed that HIPE exhibited better self-supporting properties, higher viscoelasticity, and smaller and denser microstructure with increasing CS addition. The HIPEs did not collapse after 3D printing, and maintained good stability to different conditions of salt ion concentration (0–500 mmol/L) and pH (5.0–7.5). The results of this study can provide new ideas for the development of personalized nutritious foods and low-fat healthy meat products.