Grapes come with more than healthy and tasty wine. Grape-seed extract could be the best natural preservative for replacing synthetic ingredients employed in meat containing pre-cooked, frozen and refrigerated ready-to-eat ingredients, like individual diet entrees or family-sized frozen pizza or lasagna.

"In the last five years, the section of the supermarket that contains fully cooked, ready-to-eat products has grown tremendously as consumer demand for convenience foods has increased. I'd estimate that 10 % of all meals served at home feature these foods," said lead researcher Susan Brewer, a University of Illinois professor of food science, whose research was published in the Journal of Food Science.

Currently, the food industry uses synthetic chemicals (like BHA, BHT, and TBHQ), for keeping meat quality in precooked foods (by decreasing fats oxidation), but these additives are highly associated by the public with increased risk of health conditions, especially cancer. The new natural solution not only seems to be as ecological, but also more powerful in its antioxidant action.

"That product, grape-seed extract, is a byproduct of fermentation, and its efficacy is due mainly to its phenolic compounds. We've known for years that certain natural compounds, including some herbs and spices, have powerful antioxidant activity. Food scientists have been trying to isolate the flavoring parts of these spices from the components that have the functional effects we're looking for," said Brewer.

The team investigated the effectiveness of natural antioxidant-containing plant products, like oregano, rosemary, and grape-seed extract, in cooked, reheated beef and pork at various ratios, time exposure, and temperatures. Meat quality was assessed through oxidative markers and a sensory check made by a panel of 10 human tasters. "The higher concentration of grape-seed extract yielded better results than we see with synthetics, which is certainly not what you'd expect. Synthetics, after all, have been engineered to maximize effectiveness, but sometimes Mother Nature comes up with a better product.", said Brewer.

Moreover, the grape-seed extract is tasteless, not altering food flavor, while oregano and rosemary induce a herbal scent. "I really think grape-seed extract is a viable, natural way to preserve meat quality in the precooked entrees that are so popular now. And, when companies can use the word natural on a label, it's attractive to consumers", Brewer further explained.