## 1 Introduction
These by-products have a high concentration of bioactive constituents, which can replace synthetic additives like antioxidants, preservatives, and colorants. Their appeal lies in their status as by-products from industrial processes [11]. Incorporating these by-products back into the food chain would also enhance the endeavor to promote a circular economy. A variety of plant-derived bioactive compounds have been tested as nitrite substitutes in meat products, and many of these trials are included in the review by [PERSON] and [PERSON] (2020) [12], [PERSON] et al. (2022) [13], and [PERSON] et al. (2022) [4]. Some illustrative cases include grape pomace, a by-product of winemaking, that has been utilized as a colorant and antioxidant in beef sausages at 1% and 2% concentrations in combination with 30 ppm nitrites [14]. Pomegranate peel extracts and green pistachio hulls were also introduced in the formulation of nitrite-free beef sausages compared to sausages that contained 120 ppm nitrite [15]. Extracts from red dragon fruit peel, rich in phytochemicals, were also incorporated at different concentrations in the beef sausages, and the results showed that the peel extract was effective as an antibacterial agent and natural antioxidant [16]. Very recently, [PERSON] et al. (2022) [17] used olive leaf extract (OLE) in fermented sausages with a reduced nitrite content. Their results showed that OLE enhanced the antioxidant capacity of sausages, while the antioxidant activity of NO was also enhanced. Distilled rose petals are a by-product generated during the manufacturing process of distilling rose petal water (_Rosa damascena_ Mill) to produce rose essential oil and rose hydrosol. _Rosa damascena_ Mill (_R. damascena_), known as the Damask rose, is a rose hybrid derived from _Rosa gallica_ and _Rosa moschata_. [PERSON] et al. (2005) [18] analyzed the extract of the petals of _Rosa damascena_ Mill and detected flavonal glycosides, particularly kaempfer and quercetin glycosides, which both exhibit antimicrobial and antioxidant activity [19]. Recently, both of these compounds have been recognized as GRAS by the FDA [20]. In the case of rosemary leaf distillation, the most common technique used is steam distillation. Rosemary steam distillation leads to the production of rosemary essential oil with two side streams, which are rosemary hydrosol and distilled rosemary leaves. The biomass of distilled rosemary leaves is free of volatile compounds while being rich in phenolic compounds [21; 22; 23], which are kept almost intact after the steam distillation process. Phenolic diterpenes, namely carnosol and carnosic acid, are considered to be the most important phenolic compounds found in distilled rosemary leaves [21] and they possess a high antioxidant activity [24]. The use of rosemary phenolic diterpenes in several food categories (including meat products) and the maximum level of this use is regulated by Regulations (EC) no. 1333/2008 [8] and no. 1129/2011 [25], and the published amendment of 23 December 2020 (02008R133-EN-23.12.2020-046.001 [8]). The application of plant extracts in meat products is a challenge due to the considerable diversity observed in both their production technologies and their composition. Consequently, it is necessary to investigate the effectiveness of each plant extract in various meat products on a case-by-case basis. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of partially replacing nitrites with (i) distilled rose petal extract of the species _Rosa damascena_, and (ii) a combination of distilled rose petal extract and distilled rosemary leaf extract, on the aerobic microbiota, the population of lactic acid bacteria, and the color and lipid oxidation of bacon slices, made and vacuum-packaged in industrial conditions. This research thus explores strategies to retain the meat product's quality, focusing not only on reducing the use of synthetic additives, but also on boosting nutritional value through the incorporation of bioactive compounds.