Carrots (the main source of carotenoids) have multiple nutritional and health benefits. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the compositional, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties of carrot powder and to examine its effect on the sensory characteristics, chemical properties, and microbial viability of probiotic soft cheese at a rate of 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6%. The carrot was turned into powder before being analyzed and incorporated as an ingredient in making probiotic soft cheese. Probiotic soft cheese was made from buffalo milk. The buffalo milk (∼6.9% fat, 4.4% protein, 9.2% milk solids not fat, and 0.7% ash) was pasteurized at 75 ± 1°C for 5 min and cooled to 40–42°C. The milk was then divided into 4 aliquots. Sodium chloride (local market, Assiut, Egypt) was added at a ratio of 5% followed by starter cultures. The carrot powder (4.5% moisture, 4.8% ash, 2.7% fat, 8.2% protein, 11.9% fibers, and 72.3% carbohydrate) was added at a rate of 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6%, followed by addition of 0.02 g/kg rennet. The cheese was cut again into cubes, pickled in jars filled with whey, and stored for 28 d at 6 ± 1°C. The results of this study illustrated the nutritional and antioxidant properties of carrot powder. Incorporation of carrot powder in probiotic soft cheese affected the moisture and salt content at 0 d. The total bacteria count decreased from 7.5 to 7.3 log cfu/g in the cheese when carrot powder was used at a rate of 0.6%. The reduction of total bacteria count was noticed during the 28 d of storage by adding carrot powder. Furthermore, lactic acid bacteria and Bifidobacterium longum counts elevated with adding carrot powder during the 28 d of storage.

Globe artichoke canning industry generates considerable amounts of wastes. Incorporation these natural ingredients as a fat replacer in meat products processing could reduce these wastes and develop nutritionally enriched low-fat meat products. So, in this study, we aimed to utilize of these wastes (bracts) as fat replacer during processing beef sausage with different fat substitution levels (25, 50 and 100%). Control and treated samples (A25, A50 and A100) were stored after manufacturing in a refrigerator (4±1°C) for 12 days, while quality characteristics of sausages samples under investigation were evaluated. The results indicated that artichoke bracts contained phenolic compounds (328.33mg GAE/100g sample), flavonoids (332 mg Quercetin/ 100g sample) and had the highest antioxidant activity%, when compared with other artichoke wastes. The incorporation of artichoke bracts powder (ABP) into beef sausages formula caused an improving of physical quality criteria (cooking loss, cooking yield and shrinkage). While ABP addition to sausages formula significantly decreased their contents of total fat (fat reduction% in sample A100 recorded 54.58%), moisture and crude fiber increased, when compared to control sample. Furthermore, sausages samples containing ABP exhibited good sensory properties, especially in sample A25. Whereas replacing 100% of fat with ABP (sample A100) recorded the lowest microbial count. In conclusion, artichoke bracts powder (ABP) exhibited a good antioxidant effect, as well as has considerable amounts of fibers and minerals, and can be used successfully in manufacturing of meat products.

The popularity of rosemary has grown as a natural alternative over the synthetic supplements due to its potential health benefits. The rosemary plant has been utilized to preserve food due to its ability to prevent oxidation and microbial contamination. The reason for this study was to determine the phytochemical components and antimicrobial activity of rosemary essential oil (REO) and the effect of REO addition (0.5 and 0.7%) on the chemical, microbiological, and sensory properties of stirred-like yogurt (SLY) during 16 days of storage at 4 °C. The obtained data observed that REO exhibited antimicrobial action against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella marcescens, as well as fungi (Aspergillus flavus) and yeasts (Candida albicans). Increased REO to 0.7% accelerated (p < 0.05) the development of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in SLY (8.3 log cfu/g) and delayed yeast growth up to 12 days. Molds and coliforms were also not found in the SLY samples with REO. In comparison to control samples, sensory results showed that the addition of REO improves the overall acceptance of SLY (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the current study found that REO could be used as a natural preservative during the production of SLY to extend shelf-life and promote LAB development