Fuente: PubMed "meat" Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2026 May 11:1-23. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2026.2670727. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTGrowing consumer demand for clean-label and antibiotic-free meat products has intensified interest in plant-based bioactive compounds as next-generation antimicrobials. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the key phytochemicals essential oils, phenolics, terpenoids, alkaloids, and flavonoids highlighting their diverse antimicrobial mechanisms, including membrane disruption, metabolic inhibition, interference with DNA/RNA synthesis, and anti-quorum sensing activities. Their application in meat systems is supported by advanced delivery strategies such as direct incorporation, surface treatments, bioactive edible coatings, and active packaging. Many studies demonstrate pathogen inhibition comparable to synthetic preservatives, particularly against Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., and Staphylococcus aureus, while simultaneously extending shelf-life. Synergistic enhancement occurs when combined with refrigeration, modified atmosphere packaging, or curing. Emerging technologies including nano-encapsulation, emulsions, AI-driven phytochemical prediction, and CRISPR/Cas9-based pathogen targeting, further expand their potential for precision food safety. Integrating plant antimicrobials with phages or probiotics provides additional promise for hurdle-based preservation. Despite encouraging laboratory findings, challenges remain, particularly regulatory harmonization, scalability, and validation in complex real-world meat matrices. This review calls for interdisciplinary efforts to translate molecular insights into commercially viable, consumer-trusted solutions for sustainable meat preservation.PMID:42112775 | DOI:10.1080/10408398.2026.2670727