Research Progress on the Effects of Plants and Plant Extracts on the Quality and the Inhibition of N-Nitrosamine Formation in Meat Products
LIU Zizhen, ZHOU Youshan, CAO Yingying, GUO Xiaorui, MA Xiaolong
1. Gansu Province Product Quality Supervision and Inspection Research Institute, Lanzhou 730050, China; 2. School of Life Science and Engineering, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050, China
Abstract：Meat products suffer from quality deterioration and safety risks due to issues such as N-nitrosamine formation. As potent carcinogens, N-nitrosamines pose a serious threat to human health. Plants and plant extracts are rich in bioactive components such as polyphenols, polysaccharides, alkaloids, and glycosides. With the advantages of natural origin, high safety, and minimal toxic and side effects, they are highly suitable for use as food additives to improve the quality of meat products. Their functions cover multiple aspects: 1) inhibiting lipid and protein oxidation by scavenging free radicals and chelating metal ions, thereby delaying rancidity; 2) optimizing the color and flavor of meat products through natural pigments and volatile components; 3) disrupting microbial cell membrane structures and interfering with metabolic processes through hydrophobic components, thereby exerting antimicrobial effects; and 4) enhancing nutritional value by supplementing vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. The core mechanisms by which plants and plant extracts inhibit N-nitrosamine formation include: 1) reducing nitrite to non-toxic substances such as nitrogen gas and nitrogen oxides to cut off precursor supply; 2) capturing free radicals and peroxides in nitrosation reactions to block the reaction chain; 3) chelating transition metal ions such as Fe2+ and Cu2+ to reduce their catalytic activity; and 4) sone components can also inhibit microbially mediated nitrosation. This paper systematically reviews progress in related research at home and abroad, focusing on the action mechanisms and application effects of major bioactive components. Future research should focus on the following aspects: 1) the development and application of green and efficient extraction technologies to reduce costs while retaining active components; 2) the optimization of multi-component formulations to strengthen synergistic effects and improve comprehensive performance; 3) the establishment of a standardized safety evaluation system, dosage standards, and detection methods; and 4) the combination of artificial intelligence and big data technologies to predict synergistic effects among components, accelerate the research, development and industrialization of functional meat products, and promote the upgrading of the food industry toward naturalization, intelligence, and safety. This review aims to provide a theoretical basis for further research on the application of plants and plant extracts in improving meat product quality and inhibiting N-nitrosamine formation.
刘子溱，周有山，曹莹莹，郭晓蕊，马小龙. 植物及其提取物对肉制品品质及抑制N-亚硝胺生成的影响研究进展[J]. 肉类研究, 2026, 40(10): 94-103 https://doi.org/10.7506/rlyj1001-8123-20251104-327
LIU Zizhen, ZHOU Youshan, CAO Yingying, GUO Xiaorui, MA Xiaolong. Research Progress on the Effects of Plants and Plant Extracts on the Quality and the Inhibition of N-Nitrosamine Formation in Meat Products. Meat Research, 2026, 40(10): 94-103 https://doi.org/10.7506/rlyj1001-8123-20251104-327
2026, Vol. 40 
