What Are the Applications of the Natural Spice Rosemary Extract?

The natural spice rosemary is a natural antioxidant with high safety, strong antioxidant capacity and no side effects. Rosemary and its extracts have become a hotspot for the research and application of natural antioxidants.

1 Overview of the natural flavor rosemary

Rosemary is a perennial shrub of the Labiatae family that prefers warm climates and is a natural spice. The origin of rosemary is the Mediterranean coast and Europe and its neighboring North Africa, such as Spain, France, Italy and other countries [1]. In ancient times, rosemary was used as a spice in China, and was introduced from the western region and started to be cultivated. Rosemary can be grown in China in the Yangtze River and south of the region, in China, Henan, Yunnan, Guangxi, Guizhou, Zhejiang have a large area of planting.

2 Development and application of rosemary and its extracts

2.1 In the field of food processing

Rosemary and its extracts have been shown to prevent oxidation and protect the flavor of processed foods. Meat products do not contain natural oxidizing agents and are therefore susceptible to oxidation and even spoilage during processing. When meat products are heated during processing, their decomposition products may cause off-flavors.

Studies have shown that during this process, the tissues and cells of meat products undergo extensive rupture, releasing enzymes and iron from the tissues. The released enzymes and iron can combine with each other to form a catalyst that accelerates the oxidation of the meat product. This is the main cause of the "overcooked" flavor of meat products. Studies have shown that the addition of rosemary extract to a variety of meat products during heating or storage not only provides excellent antioxidant properties, but also prevents spoilage and protects the original flavor of the meat products.

Rosemary and its extracts are antioxidants, which are very stable and non-volatile, and have a controlled flavor and aroma. Rosemary and its extracts have a strong solubility, and can be made into both fat-soluble and water-soluble products, so they are highly adaptable to food applications, and have the effect of stabilizing oils and essential oils in food processing. In addition, the active ingredients in rosemary and its extracts have a high boiling point and a low aroma threshold, so that costs can be reduced by reducing the amount used in production.

The properties of rosemary and its extracts have led to a wide range of applications in food processing. It has the ability to inhibit decay and slow the rate of fading of carotenoids in food products. In terms of flavor improvement, natural rosemary has been used in food and food price processing for its ability to harmonize other flavors in food products, preventing overcooking of precooked and ground poultry, meat, and fish, and for improving the flavor of low pH sauces [2].

2.2 In the field of medicine

Rosemary and its extracts have excellent antioxidant properties. Rosemary and its extracts are able to bind to lipids, and during the binding process, they inhibit the lipid peroxidation chain reaction. Rosemary extract has a strong scavenging effect on free radicals in the body, and its main mechanism is to oxidize free radicals in the body to quinone. The main mechanism is to oxidize free radicals into quinone. Rosemary can also inhibit endothelial cells, regulate the density of endothelial cells, and increase the antioxidant capacity of lipoproteins. Related experiments have shown that rosemary can inhibit hemolysis of erythrocytes and lipid peroxidation in mice. Rosemary extract has been shown to inhibit the respiratory burst of neutrophils and lipid peroxidation [3].

Rosemary and its extracts have anti-tumor properties. The constituents of rosemary include silymarinic acid and rosmarinol, which have a very strong inhibitory effect on the proliferation of breast cancer cells. Especially, sclareolic acid is a highly selective inhibitor of breast cancer cell proliferation. Rosemary extract has also been shown in long-term animal studies to inhibit potential tumor-inducing factors. The 70% ethanol extract of dried rosemary leaves contains components that significantly inhibit chymotrypsin and KB cells, and has no significant toxic side effects on the cells during the process [4]. In addition, it has been shown that the herb and its extracts inhibit chemically induced mammary gland carcinomas in mice, preventing the formation of adducts between carcinogens in hypodermal cells and mouse DNA.

Rosemary and its extracts have antimicrobial properties. Studies have shown that many bacteria accumulate resistance to antibiotics, therefore, the use of rosemary extracts for the development of new antibiotics and the treatment of skin infections has become a hot issue. The results of relevant studies have demonstrated that rosemary extracts have excellent antibacterial properties and have great potential for the treatment of skin conditions such as acne and seborrheic rashes [5].

3 Conclusion

In summary, rosemary and its extracts are characterized by high efficiency, non-toxicity and other excellent features, and their development and application in the food and medical fields are becoming more and more extensive. This paper analyzes in detail the research progress of the development and application of the natural spice rosemary and its extracts, summarizes the general development process of the natural spice rosemary, introduces the development and application of rosemary and its extracts, and enumerates the development and application of rosemary and its extracts in the fields of food and food processing, as well as in the field of medicine. It is hoped that the analysis of the development and application of the natural flavor rosemary and its extracts in this paper will have a positive effect on its development and application in a wider range of fields.

References:

[1] Liang Zhengmin . Effects of rosemarinic acid on airway inflammation and oxidative lung injury in asthmatic mice and related mechanisms [D]. Nanning : Guangxi University ,2017.

[2] Cui Haiying . Cerebral protection and mechanism of action of rosmarinic acid in mice with focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury [D]. Shijiazhuang: Hebei Medical University ,2014.

[3] LIU Fang , ZUO Zhaojiang , XU Changping , WU Xingbo , ZHENG Jie , GAO Rongfu , ZHANG Rumin , GAO Yan . Physiological response of rosemary to drought stress and its induced release of volatile organic compounds [J]. Journal of Plant Ecology ,2013,37(05):454-463.

[4] Zu Ge . Research on the green separation technology of the main active ingredients of rosemary and its application [D]. Harbin : Northeast Forestry University ,2012.

[5] Zhang Ying . Highly efficient isolation and antioxidant activity of antioxidants from rosemary [D]. Harbin : Northeast Forestry University ,2008.