Evaluation of poultry meat freshness at post slaughter condition through Beta vulgaris L. extract: A natural alternative to synthetic antioxidant

This study investigates the effects of Beta vulgaris L. (beetroot) pulp extract (BVE) on improving poultry meat freshness under post-slaughter conditions at 0, 3, and 6 h of market exposure time. This exposure time was selected based on the fact that poultry meat in Bangladesh is typically sold within six hours of slaughter. Based on the addition of antioxidants, four treatments were prepared: C (no antioxidant), T1 (C + 0.5 % BVE), T2 (C + 1.0 % BVE), and T3 (C + 0.02 % potassium nitrate, PN). A variety of analyses, including physical, chemical, and microbial tests, were conducted. Based on the overall results, T2 exhibited the highest 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) (55.08 ± 0.37^Aa) radical scavenging activity at 0 h, as well as the highest total phenolic content (TPC) (7.48 ± 0.39^Aa) and total flavonoid content (TFC) (5.99 ± 0.24^Aa) at 6 h, indicating the highest antioxidant potential compared to the other treatments. T2 and T3 showed lower thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) values and microbial loads during the overall exposure time. Furthermore, T2 significantly maintained color parameters (L*, a*, b*) and reduced drip and cooking loss, as well as increased water holding capacity (WHC). Descriptive sensory analysis revealed that T1 and T2 maintained better color, odor, and overall acceptability compared to other treatments and the control. Principal component analysis (PCA) supported the differentiation of treatments, confirming that T2 was effective in preserving meat quality over time. These findings demonstrated that 1.0 % BVE (T2) improved meat freshness and extended the shelf life of post-slaughter poultry meat more effectively than the other treatments across different exposure times.