Abstract
Incorporating plant-derived antioxidants into meat products aligns with the demand for clean-label, functional foods, offering a strategy to improve nutritional value and oxidative stability. However, optimized formulations that balance functionality and sensory acceptance remain underexplored. Methods: A controlled 3×3 factorial experiment was conducted to evaluate the impact of eggplant peel (5%, 10%, 15%) and barberry powder (1, 3, 5 g/100 g meat) on antioxidant activity, vitamin B (B1+B2) content, microbiological safety, and sensory properties of meat rolls. Analytical methods included Folin–Ciocalteu spectrophotometry (ISO 14502-1), HPLC (ISO 20633:2015), total viable count assessment (ISO 4833-1), and sensory evaluation using a trained panel and 5-point hedonic scale. The highest antioxidant activity (0.130 ± 0.003 mg gallic acid equivalents/g) was achieved at 10% eggplant peel and 3 g barberry powder. Vitamin B content increased from 0.060 ± 0.001 mg/100 g at 1 g barberry to 0.100 ± 0.002 mg/100 g at 5 g barberry. Sensory scores ranged from 2.97 ± 0.15 to 4.2 ± 0.1, peaking at 15% eggplant and 3 g barberry. Microbiological counts remained below the hygienic limit of 5 log CFU/g in all samples, indicating compliance with safety standards. The combination of 10–15% eggplant peel and 3 g barberry powder effectively enhanced antioxidant capacity and sensory appeal while maintaining microbiological safety, confirming the research hypothesis. These findings support the development of functional, plant-enriched meat products with improved nutritional and organoleptic qualities, meeting clean-label requirements and offering commercial potential. Limitations include the absence of extended shelf-life assessment and large-scale consumer studies.