Abstract:To extend the shelf life of raw beef patties using natural preservatives, the preservative effects of Zanthoxylum bungeanum extract and grape seed extract were compared. Grape seed extract (mass fraction: 0.01%) and Z. bungeanum extract (mass fraction: 0.118%) with equivalent total flavonoid contents were added to raw beef patties. Preservative efficacy was evaluated based on meat color, lipid oxidation, and protein structural changes. The results showed that after 6 days of storage, patties treated with Z. bungeanum exhibited reductions of 40.51% in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and 25.56% in total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) compared with those of the control group. In addition, metmyoglobin reducing ability (MRA) and total reducing activity (TRA) increased by 7.75% and 10.53%, respectively. For grape seed extract-treated patties, TBARS and TVB-N values decreased by 43.04% and 32.00%, respectively, whereas MRA and TRA increased by 19.19% and 15.79%, respectively. Furthermore, grape seed extract significantly outperformed Z. bungeanum extract and the control group in maintaining meat color and texture quality (P<0.05). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis indicated that protein oxidation was inhibited by both extracts, mainly by suppressing the transformation from α-helix to random coil structures, with grape seed extract showing a more pronounced effect. Overall, under these experimental conditions, the preservative effect of Z. bungeanum extract on raw beef patties was inferior to that of grape seed extract. These findings provide a theoretical basis for the development of natural preservatives and future studies should explore combined applications of the two extracts to achieve enhanced preservation effects.