Abstract

The aim of the present study was to monitor the fresh chicken thighs microbiological quality after treatment by sunflower oil and Abies alba essential oil in two concentrations, stored under vacuum packing (VP), at 4±0.5 °C for a period of 16 days. There were used the following treatments of chicken thighs: Air-packaged (AC, control samples), vacuum-packaged (VPC, control samples), vacuum-packed with sunflower oil (SOC, control samples), VP with Abies alba essential oil at concentrations 0.1%v/w (VP+A0.1) and concentration 0.2%v/w (VP+A0.2). The quality assessment of VP of the product in accordance with the terms above and sunflower oil treatment, Abies alba oil was established by microbiological analyze. The microbiological properties as the total viable counts and coliform bacteria, lactobacilli and Pseudomonas spp. were monitored. The using of Abies alba oil and sunflower oil with combination of vacuum packing has significant effect to reduction of microorganisms compared with control group without vacuum packing and untreated control group.

Keywords: Abies alba; Essential oil; Sunflower oil; Antimicrobial; Chicken thigh