Abstract
This study evaluated the effects of enzymatically produced collagen hydrolysate and Salicornia perennans extract on the quality, oxidative stability, and nutritional composition of canned canine meat pâtés. Two formulations were prepared: a control 2% NaCl, no hydrolysate and an experimental sample containing 3% collagen hydrolysate sheep:camel:bovine = 1:1:1, 1% Salicornia perennans extract, and 1% NaCl. Physicochemical, textural, amino-acid, fatty-acid, and oxidative parameters were monitored over 10 days of storage. The treated pâtés showed similar proximate composition moisture 76.1%, protein 9.2%, metabolizable energy (ME) 102 kcal·100 g−1; p > 0.05 but exhibited enhanced functional stability, with reduced water loss syneresis 1.8 vs. 3.1%; p < 0.05 and improved cohesiveness 0.46 vs. 0.41; p < 0.05. Amino-acid enrichment included higher aspartic acid +33%; p < 0.05, methionine +53%; p < 0.05, and tryptophan +39%; p < 0.05, while the lipid profile showed lower SFA 52.8 vs. 56.4%; p < 0.05, higher n-3 PUFA 1.5 vs. 0.8%; p < 0.05, and a reduced n-6:n-3 ratio 3.8 vs. 5.6; p < 0.05. During storage, oxidative markers decreased: TBARS −45%, carbonyls −14%, acid value −18%, and color stability improved by +2.0 pp. These findings confirm the synergistic antioxidant and structuring effects of collagen-derived peptides and Salicornia polyphenols, as evidenced by a 45% reduction in TBARS, 14% lower protein carbonyls, and 18% lower acid value relative to the control (p < 0.05). This synergy enabled a sodium-reduced, clean-label formulation with improved technological performance, oxidative resistance, and shelf-life stability for functional wet dog foods. In addition, it enhanced the color and visual appeal—key attributes that influence both animal palatability and the purchasing decisions of pet owners.