ENHANCING ANTIOXIDANT CAPACITY IN FUNCTIONAL MEAT PRODUCTS THROUGH INFUSION WITH SEA BUCKTHORN OIL TO COMBAT INHERENT ANTIOXIDANT DEFICIENCY

Given the growing concern in recent years for a healthier diet, attention must also be directed towards improving the quality profile of meat products and transforming them, as much as possible, into functional foods that combine the benefits of plant-based products with those of animal-origin products. With this in mind, we aimed to develop a functional meat product, given the recent scrutiny these products have faced, by using an oil with antioxidant effects to enhance the antioxidant profile of products with insignificant endogenous antioxidant levels. To achieve this, three batches of pork tenderloin were injected with 1%, 3%, and 5% sea buckthorn oil, and were analyzed in terms of antioxidant capacity, physicochemical and microbiological quality, and sensory perception. Most results showed highly significant differences (p < 0.001) between batches, with superior quality observed in the batch injected with 5% sea buckthorn oil and subjected to heat treatment. However, consumers preferred the batch injected with 3% sea buckthorn oil due to its more balanced taste. This research underscores the potential to develop meat-based functional foods with enhanced nutritional benefits