The impact of tea polyphenols on the oxidative stability in Antarctic krill meal during storage: phenomena, substances, and potential mechanism

Antarctic krill meal is susceptible to color deterioration and lipid oxidation during production and storage, leading to a significant decline in nutritional quality. This study focused on specific lipids in krill meal and demonstrated the protective efficacy of tea polyphenols (TP) on the primary bioactive constituents of Antarctic krill meal during storage. The results demonstrated that TP incorporation via dipping (TP-P) and mincing (TP-M) significantly stabilized redness values of krill meal. Regarding astaxanthin (ASTA) stability, the TP-P and TP-M groups exhibited even greater ASTA retention, with levels 2.02 and 2.34 times higher than those in the control group (CK). Moreover, the TBARS levels in the TP-P and TP-M groups were significantly lower, at 39 % and 34 % of those in the CK group. This reduction is attributed to the ability of TP to suppress increases in C14:0 and C16:0 levels while mitigating the decline in EPA and DHA levels during the storage period. Additionally, molecular docking suggests a potential mechanism by which TP enhances the oxidative stability of krill meal: the stabilization of ligand-receptor complexes, which inhibits the initiation of oxidation.