Effect of fenugreek seed extract as a natural oxidation inhibitor on quality of marinated duck drumsticks during storage

Marinated ducks often deteriorate due to oxidation during storage. This study evaluated the effect of fenugreek seed extract (FSE) on duck drumsticks' storage quality. The antioxidant mechanism of FSE was analyzed by composition analysis. The results showed on day 50, the Fenugreek seed extract-Middle addition (FSE-M) group displayed a 22%, 23%, and 21% improvements in tenderness, flavor, and color scores, respectively, compared to the Traditional Marinade (TM) group. On day 50, the L* and b* values in FSE groups were significantly higher than the TM group (*P < 0.05), while the thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), peroxide value (POV) and acid value (AV) in FSE groups were significantly lower than the TM group (*P < 0.05). After storage, the TM group and FSE groups maintained total bacterial counts below 105 CFU/g, thus satisfying the stipulated requirement. Compositional analysis revealed that the flavonoids, polysaccharides, and carboxylic acids were present at concentrations of 591 g/kg, 131.5 g/kg, and 73.2 g/kg, respectively. In conclusion, FSE could enhance the color and tenderness stability in marinated duck drumsticks and inhibit quality deterioration caused by lipid oxidation during storage. This study aimed to provide support for the potential application of FSE as a natural antioxidant in food preservation.