Dactylopius opuntiae [Cockerell] Could Be a Source of Antioxidants for the Preservation of Beef Patties

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Dactylopius opuntiae, known as wild cochineal, is an insect pest of cactus crops in several countries, which produces important economic losses in this agricultural sector. The objective of our study was to use an agricultural pest as a preservative source for the beef meat industry, which is in search of a natural preservative to replace the approved synthetic additives, such as butylated hydroxytoluene. Our study showed the usefulness of a D. opuntiae extract, which was obtained using an accessible procedure, to preserve the color and reduce the oxidation process on beef patties stored under refrigeration. The beneficial actions on meat parameters were caused by the presence of carminic acid, which is a metabolite found in this insect with antioxidant properties, where that ability was supported by using two synthetic free radicals scavenging assays. Our study provides a feasible, solid–liquid extraction to obtain an antioxidant preservative with direct application on beef patties and supports their use by the improvement of meat acceptability criteria. The importance of our study lies in the fact that beef meat has a crucial role in human nutrition, and ground beef constitutes 64% of the meat consumed by humans. ABSTRACT: Dactylopius opuntiae is an insect pest that contains at least carminic acid, which has antioxidant properties. Since there is a relationship between the antioxidant ability and preservative action of compounds applied to meat products, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant activity and usefulness of a D. opuntiae extract for beef patty preservation. The insects were bred and processed to obtain a liquid extract. For the extract, its carminic acid content, antioxidant activity against two free radicals, and actions on food quality parameters were determined. The D. opuntiae dry powder contained 2.91% w/w carminic acid, while the liquid extract exhibited an IC50 value of 3437.8 ± 67.8 and 19633.0 ± 674.5 µg/mL against the DPPH and ABTS radicals. Nevertheless, these antioxidant actions were lower than those found in a D. coccus extract. The D. opuntiae extract improved in a short time the redness and yellowness, eliminated the unfavorable effect of their vehicle on the MetMb level, and greatly reduced the TBARS formation. For the first time, an extract of D. opuntiae was applied to beef patties, and its beneficial antioxidant action on meat acceptance parameters was confirmed, which has potential commercial applications.