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Is EU regulation on the use of antioxidants in meat preparation and in meat products still cutting edge?

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Abstract

The use of antioxidants in meat preparation and meat products is highly debated. Regulations define the use of antioxidants mostly in terms of the age-old subdivision between meat preparations and meat products. Best practices are not well represented in regulations. Antioxidants for foodstuffs during processing or before packing protect colour, aroma and nutrient content. As regards food safety regulations, long-term efforts have been made in terms of food standards, food control systems, food legislation and regulatory approaches. These have, however, generated several questions on how to apply the law to diverse food businesses. To answer these questions, a thorough examination of the EU legislator’s choices for food additives and definitions is provided and discussed in relation to factors affecting microbial growth. The paper highlights the regulatory aspects along with the correct application and interpretation of the norms

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to express sincere appreciation to members of Polyglot, Perugia for careful reading and comments on the manuscript. This paper was produced during the EFSA EU-FORA action Grant—agreement number—GP/EFSA/AFSCO/2017/08—GA16—title: Risk Assessment for Listeria Monocytogenes in Ready to Eat Food

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Author notes

  1. Beniamino T. Cenci-Goga

    Present address: School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, Via San Costanzo, 4, 96126, Perugia, Italy

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, Via San Costanzo, 4, 96126, Perugia, Italy

    Paola Sechi & Luca Grispoldi

  2. Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa

    Beniamino T. Cenci-Goga & Musafiri Karama

  3. Department of Biology, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece

    Chrystalleni Hadjichralambous

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  1. Beniamino T. Cenci-Goga
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  2. Musafiri Karama
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  4. Paola Sechi
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All authors contributed in equal parts to the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Beniamino T. Cenci-Goga.

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Cenci-Goga, B.T., Karama, M., Hadjichralambous, C. et al. Is EU regulation on the use of antioxidants in meat preparation and in meat products still cutting edge?. Eur Food Res Technol 246, 661–668 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00217-020-03433-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00217-020-03433-y

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