Immersing fresh chicken into an aqueous hop (Humulus lupulus) extract to delay spoilage during vacuum refrigerated storage

Fresh chicken meat is a highly perishable product. The effect of immersing chicken breast in an aqueous hop extract (2 g/L) for 18 h at 2°C prior to being vacuum packed, on the growth of spoilage bacteria during a 35-day refrigerated storage period was evaluated in triplicate. The hop extract immersion treatment resulted in a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in lactic acid bacteria counts during the first storage weeks and in Brochothrix thermosphacta counts from day 21 to 35. No effect could be observed on the Enterobacteriaceae growth. A triangle test analysis (54 consumers) tasting hop-extract-immersed vs water-immersed chicken breast showed no differences in cooked chicken flavor. The use of hop extract could increase the shelf life of vacuum-packed fresh chicken without affecting palatability.