Effects of spearmint (Mentha spicata L.) infusion in drinking water during rabbit fattening on the microbial and physicochemical qualities of the end meat product

The objective of the present work was to evaluate the effects of the administration of spearmint (Mentha spicata L.) infusion into drinking water (0, 5, and 10 g.L-¹) in rabbits during 28 days of fattening on the microbiological and lipid stability of the end meat product, as well as the evaluation of meat and carcass quality. The rabbits were sacrificed, and the quality of the carcass and meat was evaluated. Once the meat was obtained, burger patties were made, which were then subjected to microbiological and physicochemical evaluation through the application of various treatments for 14 days. The results did not show an effect on the quality of the carcass; however, for the infusion treatment with 5 g of spearmint, the previous portion corresponding to the skeletal muscle, longissimus dorsi, was greater than the control treatment. Regarding the meat quality, the hardness parameter of the texture profile analysis was higher in the control and treatment with 5 g of spearmint. The microbiological analysis on day 0 showed that there was no growth of Staphylococcus in the treatments with spearmint infusion as compared to the control; the enterobacterial count at day 7 was higher in the control group than in the treatments with spearmint infusion; and on day 14, the total viable count was higher in control than in the treatments with spearmint infusion. In the physicochemical analysis, only the colour (L*, a*, and b*) showed significant differences in the parameters at 0 and 14 days for the control. In conclusion, the spearmint infusion in drinking water for fattening rabbits could influence the physicochemical and microbiological characteristics of the end meat product, and could be considered as an alternative for improving the lipid and microbiological stability of rabbit meat products.