The Potential of Garlic and Ginger Pastes as natural Antioxidant in Spent Hen Meat Nugget

Abstract

Spent hen meat is an excellent and cheaper source of animal protein, rich in fat and cholesterol. However, spent hen meat products are prone to oxidative deterioration which can be improved through value addition. It was therefore the objective of this study to evaluate the antioxidant attribute of garlic and ginger pastes at different inclusion levels in preparing spent hen chicken nuggets. Five spent hen chicken nugget emulsions were formulated (T1: Ascorbic Acid (AA)); T2: 0.5% Garlic, T3: 1.5% Ginger, T4 0.5% Ginger, T5 1.5% Ginger. The mixtures from each formulation were filled into boxes (20×10 cm) (approximately 40±1 g each), deep fried in Grand Soya oil® for 10 minutes at 190±2oC (frying temperature). The fried nuggets were allowed to cool down to room temperature and a portion from each nugget was packaged in air tight ziploc bags and stored in a refrigerator (4oC). Frying yield (%), phenol content (GAEmg/g), flavonoid (mg QE/g), cholesterol (%) and Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances (TBARS), mg MDA/kg. Data were analysed using ANOVA at Pα0.05. The frying yield of 92.29% (0.5% ginger) was similar to 88.62 (0.5% garlic) and significantly higher than 82.29% (AA) and 85.72% (1.5% garlic) but significantly lower than 97.87% (1.5% ginger). Nugget with 1.5% ginger had 24.92 GAEmg/gphenol content which is significantly lower (P<0.05) than 16.06 GAEmg/g (AA). Flavonoid (9.34 mg QE/g) and cholesterol (72.82%) contained in AA nugget was significantly higher than 8.20 mg QE/g; 61.84% (0.5 ginger), 8.69 mg QE/g; 57.09% (1.5% ginger), 4.71 mg QE/g; 68.49% (0.5% garlic) and 6.32 mg QE/g; 59.05% (1.5% garlic) for flavonoid and cholesterol respectively. Irrespective of the storage days, ascorbic nuggets had higher TBARS levels than nuggets with ginger and garlic pastes. The inclusion of garlic and ginger paste in nugget preparation increased the phenol, flavonoids and also improved the oxidative stability of the nuggets.