The effect of antioxidants, packaging type and frozen storage time on the quality of cooked turkey meatballs

Oil-soluble rosemary extract (OR) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) were added individually and in mixture (MIX) to raw turkey meatballs. After cooking and chilling, samples were air- and vacuum-packaged and frozen stored for 90 days. The synthetic antioxidant, the natural antioxidant and their mixture significantly decreased TBA values. Lipid oxidation was most effectively inhibited by a mixture of BHT and OR during storage in the air, and by BHT in vacuum-packaged samples. A lower rate of the hydrolytic process was observed in BHT samples. All additives stabilized the red colour of turkey meatballs, but samples with a mixture of natural and synthetic antioxidants showed higher a∗ values than OR samples. Vacuum-packaged turkey meatballs were darker in colour, and the contribution of redness in these samples continued to increase until day 80. OR added alone or in combination with BHT maintained the quality of turkey meatballs during frozen storage, but samples with the synthetic antioxidant were characterized by a non-typical flavour after a longer time of storage.