Effects of Burdock Addition and Different Starters on the Quality and Flavor Improvement of Duck Sausages

Burdock (<i>Arctium lappa</i> L.) is a medicinal and edible homologous plant whose roots contain many bioactive substances such as polysaccharides and phenolics. This study explored the integration of burdock powder and lactic acid bacteria fermentation to enhance the nutritional quality, sensory attributes, and flavor profiles of duck sausages. Three bacterial strains, <i>Lacticaseibacillus casei</i>, <i>L. helveticus</i>, and <i>L. plantarum</i>, were selected based on sensory analysis, and their effects on sausage properties were evaluated through combined fermentation trials. The results demonstrated that duck sausages fermented with <i>L. plantarum</i> and <i>L. helveticus</i> and supplemented with 3% burdock powder (PHB group) exhibited > 1.5-fold higher antioxidant activity (ABTS at 85.2 μmol trolox/g and DPPH at 92.7 μmol trolox/g, respectively; <i>p</i> < 0.05) and 15% increase in total phenolic content (8.24 mg gallic acid/g) compared to non-fermented counterparts. The PHB formulation also enhanced color stability (lightness, redness, yellowness), textural characteristics (hardness, springiness, cohesiveness), and sensory acceptability. Volatile compound analysis revealed a reduction in off-odor aldehydes (hexanal, (E)-2-octenal, (E)-2-decenal, and (E,E)-2,4-decadienal) and increased production of desirable aromatic compounds like tetramethyl-pyrazine. These findings highlight the potential of combining lactic acid bacteria fermentation with burdock powder to develop functional duck sausages with improved nutritional and sensory properties.