A chef carefully inspects a cooked chicken breast. (Photo by guys_who_shoot on Shutterstock) In A Nutshell * Licorice root extract significantly slowed P. bifermentans bacterial growth in ready-to-eat chicken at concentrations ≥ 12.5 mg/mL. * At 15°C and 20°C, chicken treated with 50 mg/mL extract lasted nearly twice as long before reaching unsafe bacterial levels compared to untreated samples. * The extract also helped preserve meat color, slowed fat oxidation, and reduced protein breakdown linked to off-flavors. * Predictive growth models had over 98% accuracy, providing potential tools for industry shelf life planning. ************************************************************************ NANJING, China — Scientists in China...