Recently, more spices and seasonings are making their way into meat and poultry products for their antimicrobial and antioxidant benefits. While the use of spices and seasonings for flavoring and preserving has been in practice for centuries, many spices and seasonings are now being seen in a new light.
Only recently has research established the effectiveness of certain spices and spice extracts against microbial growth, lipid oxidation and their potential as natural antioxidants in raw meat and poultry, says Kantha Shelke, principal of Chicago-based Corvus Blue LLC. In the last 20 years, a number of factors — including international travel, globalization, the growing popularity of ethnic foods and the Food Network — have increased consumers’ familiarity with and desires for meats and poultry with various spices and seasonings, Shelke explains. As such, it is not uncommon today to see the meat and poultry aisle offering products containing seasonings and spices that were unheard of a decade ago.