Natural Antimicrobials and Hurdle Technologies for Enhancing Safety and Shelf Life of Fresh Sausages

Foodborne diseases continue to pose serious public health and economic challenges worldwide, with meat and meat products representing a major vehicle for microbial contamination. Fresh sausages, in particular, are highly perishable due to their high moisture content, rich nutrient composition, and minimal processing, which collectively promote microbial growth and oxidative deterioration. Although chemical preservatives and synthetic antioxidants have been traditionally employed to control spoilage and extend shelf life, growing consumer awareness and concerns regarding potential health risks associated with these additives have intensified the demand for natural and clean-label alternatives. This review provides a comprehensive overview of sausages, with an emphasis on fresh varieties, and examines the key factors influencing their quality, safety, and spoilage. Conventional chemical preservatives used in fresh sausage production are discussed, highlighting their functional limitations and associated health concerns. The review then critically evaluates natural antimicrobial and antioxidant preservatives derived from microbial, plant, and animal sources, including bacteriocins, essential oils, biopolymers, and bioactive proteins. In addition, emerging application strategies such as encapsulation, active packaging, high-pressure processing, and irradiation-assisted preservation are addressed as effective approaches to enhance the stability and efficacy of natural preservatives in meat systems. Overall, the findings summarized in this review demonstrate that natural preservatives, particularly when combined with complementary non-thermal processing technologies, represent promising alternatives to synthetic additives for improving the safety, shelf life, and consumer acceptance of fresh sausages. However, further applied studies are required to optimize formulation strategies and validate their effectiveness under industrial processing and storage conditions.

کلیدواژه ها:

Fresh sausages ، Foodborne diseases ، Natural preservatives