Abstract
The functional properties of animal food protein, especially from both nutritional and health contexts, remain very crucial to (food) product formulation/processing. Moreover, the increases in consumer awareness continues to push the food industry to seek alternatives of chemical food preservatives, particularly those natural approaches able to extend the shelf life of animal (food) products. As such, plant-derived bioactive substances occupy an important space as promising additives for animal food products. Besides, the underlying mechanisms that advance the interactive progress of antioxidant/bioactive compounds within the plant food matrices remain a continued debate. Indeed, to understand how myofibrillar proteins (MP) interact with the specific bioactive ingredients, i.e. biologically active compounds of plant origin, is of great importance, especially their antioxidants/microbial potentials operating as food additives given the eventual impact to modify the functionality/sensory features of the emergent animal food products. To supplement existing information, therefore, this terse review synthesizes some connections between polyphenol and myofibrillar proteins derived from plant-based sources, with emphasis on their anti-microbial potentials. Overall, natural food additives may offer potential health benefits, but their usage comes with challenges, the latter of which animal food producers must carefully consider, particularly the effectiveness of bioactive substances on (animal food) products’ safety, and consumer appeal.