The use of bioactive compounds in plant materials as natural
antioxidants has a great antimicrobial potential to preserve meat from oxidative deterioration.
The application of natural antioxidants is presumed necessary to boost the endogenous antioxidant against
oxidative stress in farm animals
and prevent lipid–protein oxidation in meat and meat products.
However, since the effect of oxidative stress on meat quality has not been adequately investigated,
there is a need to explore this area to curb the challenges of quality losses due to oxidation.
Possibility of getting a viable solution to this challenge still lies in efficient
use of medicinal-plant-rich antioxidants to preserve the functionality of
meat and ensure production of meat products with nutraceutical properties.