What Is the Use of Ginger Extract in Food Preservation?

Ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc) is a medicinal plant with a wide range of uses. It is a widely used spice and seasoning with no known side effects. Ginger contains protein, various vitamins, carotene and other nutrients, as well as volatile oils, gingerols and other active substances, making it valuable in many applications, such as seasonings, beauty and health. Modern science has confirmed that ginger has pharmacological effects such as anti-aging, anti-oxidation, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, lowering blood lipids, and lowering blood sugar [1-3]. Its anti-oxidation ability is similar to the combination of tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ), butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) [4-6]. Ginger protease can also be extracted from ginger. It is a new source of plant protease, and its structure and properties are similar to those of papain and bromelain. It can be used to tenderize meat in food [7].

Ginger extract not only has a strong aroma, a unique spicy taste, and strong antibacterial, preservative, and color-protecting effects, but is also highly safe, making it of great value and application prospects for development and utilization [8]. This paper summarizes the main active ingredients of ginger extract, describes the antibacterial effect of ginger extract, reviews the current application status of ginger extract in the preservation of fruits and vegetables, meat, and other foods, and looks to the future development and application prospects of ginger extract, with the aim of providing a reference for the wider application of ginger extract in food preservation.

1 The main components of ginger and their antibacterial effect

The chemical composition of ginger is quite complex, containing special ingredients such as ginger essential oil and gingerol, which have a strong aroma and a pungent taste. They are the main ingredients of spices commonly used in cooking animal foods in daily life [8-9]. At the same time, they are also the main antibacterial ingredients in ginger, with strong preservative and antioxidant properties. They can be used in the storage and preservation of food to achieve better results [10].

1. 1 Main chemical components of ginger

Current research has found that ginger contains more than 100 chemical components, which can be divided into three main categories: volatile oils, gingerols and diphenylheptane [11-12]. It also contains a variety of amino acids, vitamins and trace elements such as iron, copper, manganese, zinc, chromium, nickel, diamond and germanium, as well as a variety of functional ingredients.

Zingerone is the general term for the pungent substances in ginger. It is a mixture of various substances [9], including the following six categories: gingerols, shogaols, zingerone, deputy giner oil ketone, ginger-diones and gingerdiols, etc. There are 6 types of substances, among which the main chemical components of the gingerols are 6-gingerol, 8-gingerol and 10-gingerol; the main chemical components of the shogoals are 6-shogol, 8-shogol and 10-shogol [12]. Among these components, the content and biological activity of gingerols are the highest [13].

Ginger essential oil is a type of oily liquid with a fragrant smell that is present in ginger and can be easily volatilized at room temperature and distilled with water vapor. It is a mixture of various components and is mainly used for flavoring and seasoning food and beverages. Its main components are low-boiling sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, oxidized sesquiterpene compounds, monoterpene hydrocarbons and oxidized monoterpene compounds. Of these, sesquiterpene carbohydrates account for 50% to 60%, and oxidized sesquiterpene compounds account for 17% [8].

Diphenylheptane is a general term for a class of compounds with 1,7-disubstituted phenyl groups and a heptane backbone as the parent structure. It consists of two types of compounds: linear diphenylheptanes and cyclic diphenylheptanes, and has antioxidant activity [9, 14].

In addition, ginger also contains a variety of nutrients such as lipids, starch, dietary fiber, pigments, proteins and minerals. Among them, the total lipids are 5.7% ~ 14.5%, the total soluble sugars are 2.02% ~ 5.345%, 5.23% ~ 5.95% fiber, 7.98% ~ 10.04% crude protein, 5.78% ~ 8.88% starch, and 1.32% ~ 15.5% dry matter content of the total content [15].

Ginger is widely used in the food, pharmaceutical and fragrance industries because of its many chemical constituents with various effects. Further research into the medicinal value and health benefits of ginger is still a topic worthy of study in food science and technology.

1.2 Antibacterial effect of ginger extract

The volatile oil in ginger, ginger essential oil, has strong antifungal activity, while gingerol and diphenylheptane have strong antibacterial, preservative and antioxidant effects [16–17]. They produce a bacteriostatic effect by changing the permeability of microbial cell walls and cell membranes, destroying genetic material inside the cells, and interfering with the activity of various enzymes in the cells. They can effectively kill harmful microorganisms on the surface of food [8], thereby preventing the deterioration of meat products such as ham and sausage, as well as fruits, vegetables and aquatic products [13]. These effects make ginger and its extracts a safe and non-toxic natural preservative.

The antimicrobial effects of ginger and its extracts have been well documented (Table 1). Curcumin is a very important natural component isolated from turmeric that has a variety of biological activities. Deng Kaiye [18] and Chen Yan [19] found that curcumin not only regulates the activity of phagocytes, but also has a strong inhibitory effect on rose mold, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, etc. In addition, curcumin and turmeric volatile oil also have a strong inhibitory effect on red hair mold. Zhao Jin [14] compared the antibacterial effects of ginger essential oil, curcumin and their mixtures. The results showed that curcumin, ginger essential oil and their mixtures all have a certain antibacterial effect. The order of the antibacterial effects of the three is: curcumin > mixture of curcumin and ginger essential oil > ginger essential oil. Curcumin has an inhibitory effect on Bacillus subtilis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. ginger essential oil has a bacteriostatic effect mainly on Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis, and the mixture of gingerol and ginger essential oil has a good inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

2 Application of ginger extract in food storage and preservation

The development of natural preservatives in the food industry has always been given considerable attention. In addition to its good results, biological preservation technology can also improve the safety of stored foods to a certain extent [26]. The antibacterial effect of ginger can be effectively used in biological preservation technology. Many researchers use ginger extract or a mixture of ginger, onion, garlic and other extracts as natural preservatives to apply to food storage and processing.

2. 1 Application of ginger extract in meat preservation

Meat is the main source of protein for humans. Fresh meat is not suitable for storage at room temperature because it contains a high proportion of water and many nutrients. It is easily affected by various factors such as microorganisms, light and heat, and can spoil [8]. Chilled meat is popular with consumers because it is safe and hygienic, tastes delicious and has high nutritional value.

In order to extend the shelf life of meat products, the antibacterial substances in ginger and its extracts are used in the storage of pork, lamb, fish, etc., to ensure and even improve the quality of meat products by inhibiting the growth of microorganisms and enzyme activity in the meat (Table 2). MAHMMOD [27] et al. studied the effect of ginger extracts of different concentrations (0, 3%, 6%) on the physicochemical properties of beef. After soaking at -18°C for 2 weeks, it was found that the cooking loss of beef soaked in 6% ginger extract was lower, and the flavor of beef soaked in 3% and 6% ginger extract was better.

Ye Gangsa et al. [28] found that when the mass fraction of ginger extract was 0.01%, the pH of the buffer was 7, and the pretreatment temperature was 30°C, the best tenderizing effect on pork was achieved by soaking for a certain period of time. Naveena and Mendirat [29] studied the tenderizing effect of ginger extract on beef and found that ginger extract can significantly improve the cooking rate of beef and improve the flavor and texture of the product organoleptically. The study also found [14] that ginger protease can act as a proteolytic enzyme when used for meat tenderization, not only making the meat soft, palatable, and juicy, but also increasing the yield and shelf life of the meat [8]. Therefore, the development of natural preservatives using ginger not only has a preservative effect, but also has the effect of improving quality, and has broad application prospects.

2. 2 Application of ginger extract in the preservation of fruits and vegetables

Fruit and vegetable products are crisp and juicy, but they are not easy to store and preserve during the storage process due to the loss of moisture and nutrients, microbial infection and other reasons. At present, ginger extract has been used in the storage and preservation of fresh-cut apples, cherries, tomatoes, etc. (Table 3).

The gingerol and various volatile oils in ginger extract can effectively kill a variety of harmful microorganisms on the surface of fruits and vegetables. Pu Xuemei [36] found that ginger extract can effectively remove and inhibit the growth and reproduction of microorganisms in postharvest storage of fruits after soaking the harvested fruits in ginger extract for a certain period of time. However, when the concentration of ginger extract exceeds 0.4 g/mL, it will cause the exudation of nutrients, providing an environment relatively conducive to microbial growth, and the antioxidant capacity of the fruit decreases rapidly during the later stages of storage, which is detrimental to fruit preservation. Therefore, when using ginger extract in the preservation of fruits and vegetables, care should be taken to control the appropriate concentration for use.

For fresh-cut fruits and vegetables, browning not only affects the appearance and quality, but also destroys the flavor or nutrients. Zhao Donghan [37] studied the effects of gingerol extract and water extract on the sensory quality, browning and antioxidant activity of fresh-cut potatoes. Fresh-cut potatoes were soaked in gingerol extract and water extract for 10 minutes, then removed and dried, and stored at room temperature for 3 days. It was found that gingerol extract-treated potato slices had better sensory quality and more significant browning inhibition. At the same time, the gingerol extract preparation process was optimized on this basis, providing an experimental basis for the application of ginger in the prevention and control of browning during the storage and preservation of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables.

The above studies have shown that ginger extract improves the preservation effect of fruits and vegetables to varying degrees and extends the shelf life, indicating that it is possible and scientifically based to develop natural plant preservatives for food with ginger extract and ginger in combination with other ingredients.

3 Other applications of ginger extract

In addition to being used as a potential preservative to preserve the storage of a variety of foods, ginger extract also has the functions of seasoning, protecting color, and anti-oxidation, and can be used to effectively improve the quality of some foods. EL-GHORAB [45] and others found that the antioxidant capacity of ginger methanol extract is higher than that of ginger hexane extract by measuring the DPPH free radical scavenging capacity. Recent studies have also shown that ginger juice also has good wine clarification and coagulation effects, which are related to the coagulation factors in ginger such as ginger protease, gingerol, shogaol and shogaone [8], with ginger protease being the main factor. Treating red wine with ginger protease not only improves the clarity of the red wine, but also maintains its clarity for a long time and stabilizes various indicators such as color intensity and hue [7].

Ginger and its extracts also have certain pharmacological effects. The gingerols and shogaols in gingerols have the functions of scavenging free radicals, anti-oxidation, anti-mutation, anti-tumor, anti-cancer, anti-virus and immune regulation, etc., and are the main active ingredients of ginger that exert pharmacological effects [29, 46-48]. CHAKRABORTY [49] and others found that 6-gingerol has a binding effect on nuclear DNA, can induce changes in DNA conformation, and downregulates the overexpression of NFkβ, AKT and Bcl2 genes in Hela cells, thus revealing the mechanism by which 6-gingerol induces apoptosis in Hela cells. LEE [50] found that 6-gingerol can prevent and treat Alzheimer's disease by improving the antioxidant capacity of cells.

HSIANG et al. [51] studied the effect of ginger copper on TNBS (trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid)-induced colitis in mice. In addition, long-term consumption of ginger can prevent and treat hypertension and coronary heart disease, inhibit thrombosis, and ginger has a significant relieving effect on migraines, especially those with increased cerebral blood flow before or during the remission period [29]. Hanan's [52] research found that ginger extract has a protective effect on radiation-induced damage to the hematopoietic system and can reduce the number of apoptotic cells, which may have a certain repair effect on radiation-induced damage to bone marrow cells. The above studies have shown that ginger and ginger extract have relatively obvious pharmacological effects and are of great value for human health.

4 Conclusion

Natural preservatives are a safe food additive, and the development and application of highly effective and safe food preservatives has become an important research area in the world of food preservatives today. Ginger contains a variety of nutrients and bioactive ingredients, and can be used in the storage and processing of a variety of foods. It also has a certain effect on human health and has high value in development and utilization.

(1) Although the effect of ginger extract on food preservation has been confirmed by numerous studies, the most antibacterial active ingredient or monomer in ginger extract has not yet been clearly identified. The antibacterial mechanism of ginger extract on food preservation has not been studied or explained at the molecular level. Therefore, continuously improving the extraction and separation technology of ginger extract to further isolate and purify the most antibacterial active ingredients in ginger and determine their content is an important issue for future research. Clarifying this issue is of great guiding significance for the further application of ginger in food storage and processing. In addition, from the perspective of current research, it is difficult to achieve the desired level of effect simply by using ginger extract as a preservative. Research and development of natural composite preservatives that combine ginger extract with other natural preservatives should be the main way to use ginger extract in food preservation.

(2) The pharmacological effects of the active ingredients in ginger extract, such as scavenging free radicals, anti-oxidation and anti-mutagenesis, should also be effectively utilized and developed. In this regard, how to use ginger extract to develop functional foods and health foods is also an important aspect to be noted in future research on the development and utilization of ginger.

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