A small green native plum consumed for its nutritional and therapeutic value by Indigenous Australians for thousands of years offers a sustainable and effective alternative to preserving meat instead of using synthetic chemicals - all without affecting it's taste.
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Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation Research PhD scholar Michel Beya who undertook his investigation into Kakadu plums at the University of Queensland, said the fruit's high antioxidant and antimicrobial properties made it the perfect candidate for a plant-based preservative to extend the shelf life of meat.
"The extraordinarily high vitamin C content of the fruit, which is one of nature's most potent antioxidants, offers powerful preservation qualities," Mr Beya said.
"It works by inhibiting the growth of bacteria and prevents the oxidation of meat products."
Mr Beya, who worked with the Centre for Uniquely Australian Foods on the project, said consumers are increasingly concerned about how meat is preserved because of health, environmental and ethical considerations.
He said the Kakadu plum could revolutionise the meat preservation process.
"Traditionally, chemical preservatives like sodium metabisulphite, sodium nitrate and nitrate have been used to prevent the growth of bacteria or rancidity in meat products," he said.
However, Mr Beya said research linking these chemicals to health risks like cancer and heart disease have led to public concern.
"There's also growing interest in sustainable and ethical food production practices, raising questions about the environmental impact of chemical preservatives and the treatment of animals in the food chain," he said.
"Our results show beef patties preserved with Kakadu plum had a significant reduction in rancidity rates as well as inhibiting microbial growth more effectively than samples without preservatives."
Mr Beya said a Kakadu plum was not only an effective preserve, but one which did not change the meat's flavour.
"Including Kakadu plum in the recipe does not affect the taste of the meat," he said.
One issue which may affect it's commercial use is the tree which is prevalent across northern Australia is mostly harvested in the wild on Country in Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia.
Mr Beya said his research showed preservation was another avenue for using Kakadu plum in Indigenous enterprise while allowing for inter-generation transferal of knowledge and customs.
"The supply is somewhat limited due to the harvest and specific environmental conditions it requires to grow," he said.
"Efforts are being made to increase supply, but as interest grows so does the need for investment in cultivation research, sustainable harvesting and supply chain development to ensure Kakadu plum can meet future demands."
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