Evaluating the Effects of Thyme and Cinnamon on the Microbial Quality of Beef

Hoggo, Hany A.; Abou EL-Roos, Nahla; Shaltout, Fahim; Shoulah, Salma

doi:10.21608/ejvs.2025.372068.2746

Evaluating the Effects of Thyme and Cinnamon on the Microbial Quality of Beef

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Directorate of Veterinary medicine, El Monufia, Egypt

² Food hygiene Department, Animal Health Research Institute, Agriculture Research Center of Shebin El koom Branch, Egypt.

³ Department of Food Hygiene and Control (Meat hygiene), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Benha University, Benha 13736, Egypt.

⁴ Department of Animal Medicine (Infectious Diseases), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Benha University, Toukh 13736, Egypt

10.21608/ejvs.2025.372068.2746

Abstract

This study examined the antimicrobial properties of thyme and cinnamon extracts in relation to the microbial quality and shelf-life of beef. Beef samples were randomly sourced from various supermarkets and butcher shops in the Menoufia Governorate, Egypt. Samples were categorized into three groups: a control group with no treatment, a group treated with 1% thyme extract, and another treated with 1% cinnamon extract. The microbial quality of beef was evaluated by assessment the total bacterial counts, coliform counts, and staphylococcal counts over a 15-day storage period store at 4°C. The results indicated that both thyme and cinnamon extracts significantly inhibited Bacterial growth compared to the control group. Specifically, thyme-treated samples demonstrated a decrease in total colony count from 6.5±0.06 on day one to 4.7±0.03 by day nine, while cinnamon-treated samples exhibited a reduction from 6.17±0.07 to 3.1±0.04. Sensory evaluations revealed that thyme-treated samples maintained acceptable quality for up to three days, whereas cinnamon-treated samples remained acceptable for up to nine days. These findings suggest that thyme.

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