Combined Effects of Potato Peel Powder and Pomegranate Peel Powder on the Quality Attributes of Refrigerated Chicken Meatballs.

This study investigated the effectiveness of potato peels and pomegranate peel powder as natural preservatives to improve the quality of chicken meatballs. A total of seven treatment formulations were evaluated, comprising one control and six peel-powder-supplemented formulations. Chicken meatball formulations were prepared by incorporating potato peels and pomegranate peel powder at different levels: a control (without peel powder), 2% potato peels, 2% pomegranate peel, 4% potato peels, 4% pomegranate peel, a combination of 2% potato peels + 2% pomegranate peel and 4% potato peels + 4% pomegranate peel. The physicochemical, microbiological, and sensory characteristics of the products were evaluated during 20 days of refrigerated storage at 4 ± 1 °C. Furthermore, bioactive compounds were extracted from potato peels and pomegranate peel powder using 70% ethanol and characterized for their total phenolic, total flavonoid content, antioxidant capacity, and antimicrobial activity. Pomegranate peel extract exhibited the highest total phenolic content (382.07 mg equivalent gallic acid/g) and the total flavonoid content (144.85 mg equivalent quercetin/g), demonstrating superior antioxidant and antimicrobial activities compared to potato peel extract. The incorporation of potato peels and pomegranate peel powder into chicken meatballs significantly improved cooking yield while reducing the values of lipid oxidation (TBA) and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), thus improving oxidative stability and microbiological quality throughout refrigerated storage compared to control. Although the pomegranate peel exhibited stronger antioxidant activity, the potato peels achieved superior sensory acceptability. In particular, while the 4% potato peel + 4% pomegranate peel combination achieved the greatest reduction in lipid oxidation, protein degradation and microbial growth, the combined treatment containing 2% pomegranate peel + 2% potato peel achieved comparable protective performance while better preserving sensory acceptability, indicating an additive-to-possibly-combined effect that outperformed the corresponding individual treatments at the same inclusion level in maintaining the overall physicochemical, microbiological and sensory quality of chicken meatballs during 20 days of storage at 4 ± 1 °C. These findings suggest that the combined use of potato peels and pomegranate peel powder is a promising natural preservation strategy to improve the quality of the product and extend the refrigerated quality of chicken meatballs. Further work should include challenge testing, controlled interaction analysis, and broader consumer evaluation.