Effect of Marination with Mate Tea Residue Extract on the Quality and Antioxidant Activities of Chicken Sausage

Yerba mate, traditionally consumed as a tea, is recognized for its antioxidant, anti-diabetic, and anti-inflammatory activities. Mate tea residue is expected to be a functional material because of the retention of significant components after tea extraction. This study assessed the antioxidant activities of mate tea residue extracts (MTR) and the possibility of manufacturing sausage using chicken marinated with MTR. The antioxidant capacity of MTR was confirmed by examining total polyphenol and flavonoid contents, DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities, SOD-like activity, and reducing power. Antioxidant activities, including the total polyphenol contents, radical scavenging activities, and the reducing power of chicken marinated with MTR, increased until four hours of marination, but the radical scavenging activities decreased after the marination of eight hours. The cooking yield and colors of the sausages using chicken marinated with MTR had no significant difference in marinating times. The pH of marinated chicken decreased, but the sugar content and salinity increased as the marination time increased. The hardness, gumminess, and chewiness of the sausages also increased. Conclusively, MTR have excellent antioxidant effects and can be used to improve the physiological activity of chicken meat without reducing the quality through marination.