• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.100-105
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• 2009

This study investigated the physiological characteristics of various medicinal plant extracts including Crataegi Fructus (CF), Perilla frutescens Britton var. acuta Kudo (PF), Geranium thunbergii sieb. et Zucc. (GT) and Polygonum multiflorum Thunberg (PM) for use in extending the shelf-life and improving the functional properties of seasoned pork. CF and GT showed a wide spectrum of antimicrobial activities against 5 kinds of Gram (+) bacteria and 5 kinds of Gram (-) bacteria. The antimicrobial activities of the extracts decreased as the heat treatment temperature increased between 60 and $121^{\circ}C$, but their activities remained relatively high following heat treatment. The total phenolic compound contents of the CF, PF, GT, PM extracts were 66.2, 29.0, 96.6 and 13.3 mg/g, respectively. The order of their DPPH radical scavenging activity was GT > CF > PF > PF. The nitrite scavenging activities of the CF, PF and GT extracts at 0.1% concentration were 10.5, 1.6 and 3.8%, respectively. The GT extract (99.7%) showed the highest degree of lipid rancidity inhibition compared to CF (90.3%), PF (88.9%) and PM (41.2%). After heat treatment for 15 min at $121^{\circ}C$, the DPPH radical scavenging activity of CF decreased but it increased in GT and PM. The nitrite scavenging activities of CF and GT decreased after heat treatment for 15 min at $121^{\circ}C$ but remained at relatively high levels. Also, degrees of lipid rancidity inhibition remained relatively high in PF (86.3%) and GT (99.8%) after heat treatment for 15 min at $121^{\circ}C$. These results suggest that CF and GT extracts could be used as ingredients in seasoning sauce to improve the shelf-life and functional properties of seasoned pork.