The Addition of Avocado Peel Extract to Pork Sausages Enhances the Antioxidant Capacity without Affecting the Quality and Proximate Composition

Abstract

This study evaluated the use of two avocado peel extracts (APE) to enhance the antioxidant capacity (AC) (ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP) and to preserve sausage quality (color and pH) and composition during 20 days at 4 °C. The treatments included the control (sodium nitrite); sausages with 0.25 g (FD-0.25) and 0.125 g (FD-0.125) of extract from freeze-dried (FD) avocado peel per 100 g of fresh sausage; sausages with 1.4 g (HD-1.4) and 0.7 g (HD-0.7) of extract from heat-dried (HD) avocado peel at 120 °C per 100 g of fresh sausage. Compared with the control, APE did not affect L*, pH, or proximate composition, but significantly increased b* (1.96-fold) and decreased a* (2.1-fold). Additionally, sausages with heat-dried APE had significantly higher levels of caffeoylquinic acid, B-type procyanidin dimer, and a quercetin derivative identified by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry, which corresponded to significant increases in total phenolics (63%), ABTS (13.8%), DPPH (169.6%), and FRAP (1605%). Thus, heat-dried APE represents an economical alternative to increase AC while preserving the quality of sausages.