Antioxidant Extracts from Acorns (Quercus ilex L.) Effectively Protect Ready‐to‐Eat (RTE) Chicken Patties Irrespective of Packaging Atmosphere

• Published in: Journal of food science 2017-03, Vol.82 (3), p.622-631
• Main Authors: Ferreira, Valquíria C. S., Morcuende, David, Hérnandez‐López, Silvia H., Madruga, Marta S., Silva, Fábio A. P., Estévez, Mario
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antioxidants; Antioxidants - pharmacology; Atmosphere; Atmospheres; Chickens; Color; convenience foods; Cooking; Food Handling - methods; Food Packaging; Food Preservation - methods; Food processing industry; Heating; Humans; lipid oxidation; Meat Products - analysis; Nuts - chemistry; Odorants; Oxygen; Packaging; Phenols - pharmacology; phytochemicals; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Poultry; protein oxidation; Quercus - chemistry; Quercus ilex; Reheating; Texture; Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances - metabolism
• ISSN: 0022-1147; 1750-3841
• DOI: 10.1111/1750-3841.13640

This study evaluated the impact of a phenolic‐rich acorn extract (200 ppm gallic acid equivalents) and the concentration of oxygen in the packaging system (low‐oxygen modified atmosphere; 5% vs. normal‐oxygen; 21%) on lipid and protein oxidation and consumers acceptance of the ready‐to‐eat chicken patties. Samples were subjected to cooking (electric oven, 170 °C/16 min), cold storage (14 d at 4 °C), and reheating (microwave, 600 mW/1 min). Samples treated with acorn extract kept thiobarbituric acid‐reactive substances numbers and lipid‐derived volatiles at basal levels throughout the whole processing irrespective of the oxygen concentration in the packaging atmosphere. Consistently, treated patties had lower protein carbonyls than control ones. The acorn extract also controlled color and texture deterioration during chilled storage and reheating and improved the color and odor acceptance of the products. Formulating with acorn extract is a feasible strategy to inhibit the oxidation‐driven changes and preserve the quality of reheated samples as if there were freshly cooked. Compared to the effect of the antioxidant extract, the concentration of oxygen in the packaging system was negligible in terms of quality preservation. Practical Application This study emphasizes the feasibility of using antioxidant extracts from natural resources to protect ready‐to‐eat patties regardless of the concentration of oxygen in the packaging atmosphere. There is an increasing demand for meat‐based convenience food and preserving their quality is of the utmost scientific and technological interest. The effectiveness of the extracts tested in this study is proven and the potential bioactive compounds identified.