Effect of marinating with green tea extract on the safety and sensory profiles of oven-baked oyster

Baked oyster is a popular seafood dish around the world. The present study investigated the effect of various concentrations of a green-tea extract (GTE) marinade on the safety and sensory profiles of oysters baked for different durations. The results showed 10 g/L of GTE and 10-min baking time was the optimal combination, as supported by significantly attenuated lipid oxidation (35.29 %) and Nε-(carboxyethyl)lysine (CEL) content (48.51 %) without appreciable negative impact on the sensory or nutritional quality of the oysters. However, high concentrations of the marinade or prolonged baking promoted protein oxidation and Nε-(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML) formation likely through the pro-oxidative action of the GTE phytochemicals. Correlation analysis further revealed the main factors that affected CML, CEL, and fluorescent AGEs generation, respectively. These findings provide theoretical support for the protective effect and mechanism of GTE against quality deterioration of baked oysters and would help broaden the application of GTE in the food industry.