Protective potential of onion eco-extract: safeguarding chicken patties from oxidative deterioration.

Onions contain valuable phytochemical compounds, including quercetin derivatives. This study explores the potential of onion extract as a natural additive in chicken patties. The optimized conditions involved sonication at 80% for 5 min with a 75% ethanol concentration. The onion extract exhibited total phenolic and flavonoid compound values of 255.63 mg GAE g-1 DR and 196.87 mg QE g-1 DR, respectively. The antioxidant activity of the onion extract was characterized by an IC50 of 12.74 µg/mL. This onion extract was dominated by quercetin derivatives (quercetin 4'-O-ß-glycoside and quercetin-3-O-ß-glycoside and quercetin-3,4'-O-ß-diglycoside). Chicken patties treated with 2% onion extract exhibited superior pH stability, lowest thiobarbituric acid reactive substances level (0.40 mg/kg) and peroxide index (0.77 mEq O2/kg meat) and maintained color stability. Comparative analysis with BHT demonstrated the efficacy of onion extract in reducing lipid oxidation. These findings highlight the potential of a 2% onion extract as effective ingredient for enhancing the quality of chicken products.

Biological control of Citrus brown spot pathogen, "Alternaria alternata" by different essential oils.

The antifungal effects of laurel, myrtle and peppermint essential oils and their combinations were investigated in vitro on two strains of Alternaria alternata mycelial growth and in vivo on detached Citrus leaf disease incidence. Myrtle essential oil was rich in α-pinene and 1,8-cineole while peppermint essential oil in menthol and menthone. 1,8-Cineole was the main component of the essential oils from laurel, laurel + myrtle and peppermint + laurel. The combined peppermint and myrtle essential oil was characterized by the predominance of menthol and 1,8-cineole. All tested essential oils, incorporated in potato-dextrose agar, inhibited A. alternata mycelial growth and had a fungistatic effect at concentration 3 mg/mL of medium. A great synergism was detected between peppermint and laurel essential oils against the two strains of A. alternata. The combined laurel and peppermint essential oil reduced mycelial growth rates of inoculated detached leaves at concentration above 1.5 mg/mL.