Abstract
The phytochemical composition and antioxidant activity of Argel leaf powder (ALP) and its effect on the quality attributes of camel patties were investigated. ALP contains substantial amounts of total phenolics (1,262.50mg GAE/100g), and anthocyanin (60.11 mu mol/g) and possesses high 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity (86.85%). The major phenolic compounds in ALP were isorhamnetin, (+)-catechin, catechol, gallic acid, and protocatechuic acid. Increasing the concentration of ALP in camel patties improved (p.05) the protein and fat contents, cooking yield, moisture and fat retention, total phenolic content, DPPH, redness (a), yellowness (b), pH, and microbiological stability, while the dimensional shrinkage, TBARS, and lightness (L) were reduced. Throughout the storage period, the ALP formulated camel patties revealed better stability of the physicochemical, oxidation, microbiological, and sensory attributes compared to nonformulated patties. Generally, the findings of this study proved the antioxidant and antimicrobial potentials of 4-6% ALP as a functional additive to preserve patties.
Practical applicationsNatural herbs play an important role in preserving sensitive foods. Camel meat is highly subjected to microbial and chemical spoilage as they are rich in essential nutrients. The adverse effects of different chemical preservatives attract the consumer's attention to natural alternatives. Therefore, in order to increase the shelf life and quality characteristics of camel meat, new processing technologies and new ingredient systems that are associated with natural herbs are applied. These results showed that the potentiality of Argel powder in the development of novel healthy meat products with improved shelf life and superior product quality was high.