ABSTRACT
Modern consumers are wary of the use of chemical preservatives in food products. Food technologists and processors therefore face the challenge of finding other sources of safe and effective preservatives. Antimicrobials are chemical substances that inhibit microbial growth or cause microbial cell death after exposure to the chemical. Antimicrobials can be described as traditional and novel substances labelled 'natural'. Kakadu plum, Davidson plum, muntries, riberries, lemon aspen, quandong, finger and desert lime are the native fruits that are commercially produced for value addition. Of these native fruits, extracts from Kakadu plum and Davidson plum have shown promising antimicrobial activity. There is an increasing need by the fish industry to prolong shelflife of this highly perishable commodity to enable long distance transportation and to ensure the quality of the product on arrival at retail markets. The combination of native plant extracts and different packaging formats extended the shelf life of different food systems without the use of chemical sanitisers or preservatives.
