Abstract: Diterpenoids are terpenoids containing four isoprene units with a total of 20 carbon atoms. They are derived from geranyl pyrophosphate, including acyclic diterpenes, monocyclic diterpenes, dicyclic diterpenes, tricyclic diterpenes, and tetracyclic diterpenes. These compounds are widely found in plants, insects, fungi and marine organisms, and are important bioactive substances in plant extracts. Diterpenoids have a variety of biological activities due to their structural diversity. Particularly, their outstanding antioxidant and antibacterial activities make them widely applied in meat preservation. In this article, the chemical and structural characteristics, biological activities and sources of diterpenoids are reviewed, and recent advances in the application of diterpenoids in the preservative of meat are summarized, aiming to provide a reference for the theoretical research and commercial application of diterpenoids in meat products.

Key words: diterpenoid; meat products; preservation; sensory quality