Exploring the antioxidant and antimicrobial efficacy of ethanolic extract of Terminalia arjuna in meat batter.

In the present study, four different concentrations (0.7, 1.4, 2.8, and 5.6 mg/ml) of Terminalia arjuna ethanolic extract were chosen for antioxidant assessment and similarly four different concentrations were used based on preliminary trials to evaluate antimicrobial effects. In a 9-day storage study, three extract concentrations were added to chevon meat batter with 100 PPM BHA, alongside a control group. The extract exhibited increased antioxidant activities, including total phenolic content, % DPPH inhibition, and % ABTS inhibition. Concentration-dependent increases in antioxidant properties were observed, with the highest concentration showing significantly lower (P < 0.05) values of lipid oxidation in tests like TBARS, peroxide value and free fatty acids. The extract-treated batter displayed lower pH and higher water activity, with significantly higher (P < 0.05) visual sensory scores compared to the control. Moreover, the extract-treated chevon batter exhibited significantly lower (P < 0.05) counts of spoilage microorganisms (SPC, coliforms, psychrophilic bacteria and yeast & molds) when compared with the control chevon batter. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) estimation disclosed distinctive peaks and retention times, indicating the diverse chemical composition of the extract which was responsible for its high antimicrobial and antioxidant activities.