Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Effects of Centella asiatica (Thankuni) Aqueous and Methanol Extracts for Quality and Improved Shelf Life of Poultry Products

The study was carried out to assess the phytochemicals, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties of Centella asiatica extract and its efficacy in enhancing the shelf life of poultry products including chicken nuggets. Initially, the total phenolic content (TPC), flavonoid content (TFC), anthocyanin content (TAC), and antioxidant activity (AA) of C. asiatica ’s leaf and stem were examined. Subsequently, chicken nuggets were formulated with varying amounts of Thankuni extracts to evaluate their impact on proximate composition as well as their shelf life. Combinations of leaf and stem extracts of C. asiatica exhibited the highest TPC of 24.215 mg GAE/100 g and TFC of 104.358 mg QE/100 g compared to using either stem or leaf alone. Notably, the leaf extract demonstrated the highest TAC of 19.548 mg TA/100 g, while the stem extract displayed the highest AA of 18.027%. The methanolic extract showed substantial inhibition zones against Salmonella and Escherichia coli , whereas both aqueous and methanolic extracts showed no response against Staphylococcus aureus . Furthermore, the study analyzed the nutritional composition of chicken nuggets, finding variations in moisture, crude protein, fat, ash, and carbohydrate contents. Over time, there was a gradual decline in phytochemical contents and AA, although chicken nuggets containing a substantial amount of C. asiatica extract exhibited this decline more slowly compared to the control. Higher TPC value (2.391 mg GAE/100 g) was obtained in samples containing 2% Thankuni leaves and stem extract on the zeroth day, while the control samples without any C. asiatica addition showed minimum TPC values (0.649 GAE/100 g) by the 21st day of storage. Similar trends were also noted for TFC and AA. In conclusion, the study suggests that the phytochemical composition and AA of C. asiatica emphasize the importance of utilizing both leaf and stem components in functional food product development.