Evaluation of the antioxidant, antimicrobial activity of plant raw materials and products of their processing

An urgent topic for the food industry is the extension of the shelf life of products while preserving all their properties. The realization of this goal is achieved at this time mainly with the help of synthetic preservatives. But at the same time, they have a negative impact on human health, and this has led consumers to look for products with a more environmentally friendly and "clean" composition. Natural preservatives can be a solution to this problem, because even at high concentrations compared to synthetic ones, they are safe for humans. To create them, waste can be used after the production of such products from vegetable raw materials as juices, mashed potatoes, canned vegetables, tomato paste. This makes natural preservatives both more economical and environmentally friendly. Due to the high content of biologically active substances, especially phenolic compounds, plant extracts can exhibit antioxidant, antimicrobial properties, prolonging the shelf life of products and slowing the growth of microorganisms. Phenols and flavonoids are secondary metabolites found in fruits, seeds and leaves of plants and have a wide range of health benefits due to their protective properties against oxidation and the growth of undesirable microorganisms. Thus, extracts of orange peel, sea buckthorn juice and green tea showed high antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. The positive effect and benefits of plant biologically active compounds will open up prospects for the creation of useful, inexpensive and harmless food preservatives. In the future, it is possible to continue studying the economic and environmental benefits of using bioactive compounds of plant origin in the production of natural preservatives for the food industry.