Preserving quality and enhancing sensory attributes of chicken lunch meat: free and microencapsulated shrimp shell extract

This study aimed to investigate the effects of free (FAST) and microencapsulated forms (MFAST, and MSAST) of astaxanthin (AST) on the quality, antioxidant and sensory properties of chicken lunch meat (CLM) over a 45-day period at 4°C, and were compared along with synthetic sodium nitrate and a control sample. The results demonstrated that AST levels in CLMs decreased during storage; however, microencapsulation significantly preserved approximately twice as much AST compared to CLMs containing free AST. Samples containing AST showed significantly higher antioxidant activity compared to both the control and sodium nitrate samples. Microencapsulated forms exhibited stronger radical scavenging activity, surpassing the free forms by more than 10 units, particularly in CLMs supplemented with freeze-dried AST (approximately 44% higher). Microbial growth rate increased over time, ranging from 2.82 ± 0.03 log ₁₀ ^(CFU/g) on the first day to over 5.35 ± 0.04 log ₁₀ ^(CFU/g) on day 45, while still remaining within acceptable microbial limits. In terms of sensory attributes, the FAST treatment at different concentrations resulted in moderately acceptable levels, however, the MFAST and MSAST treatments at higher concentrations received excellent scores. These findings highlight the potential of microencapsulation as a valuable technique for preserving AST and developing high-quality meat products with extended shelf life and enhanced sensory characteristics.