Mango peel flour (Mangifera indica) as a source of antioxidants and dietary fiber in goat meat sausages

Lipid oxidation is a major cause of quality deterioration in meat products, while dietary fiber is scarce in these foods. This study evaluated the effects of mango peel flour (MPF), a natural source of antioxidants and dietary fiber, on the quality characteristics of goat meat sausages stored at 4 °C for 21 days. Five formulations were prepared: a control, sodium erythorbate (0.05 g/kg of meat), and sausages containing 2, 4, or 8% MPF. Mango peel flour exhibited high in vitro antioxidant capacity, with total phenolic content (148.59 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g), determined by the Folin–Ciocalteu assay, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity of 2924.21 mg Trolox/g, and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) of 1427.43 µmol Fe²⁺/100 g. The inclusion of MPF at 4% and 8% significantly increased the crude fiber content of the sausages ( P < 0.05), with values approximately threefold and fivefold higher, respectively, than those of the control treatment (0.64% and 1.05% vs. 0.21%). In addition, MPF increased water-holding capacity, reduced cooking loss, and decreased hardness, chewiness, and cohesiveness at the highest inclusion levels ( P < 0.05). However, despite the high in vitro antioxidant capacity of the flour, MPF did not improve lipid oxidative stability during refrigerated storage ( P > 0.05). MPF also reduced pH and altered instrumental color by decreasing redness (a*) and increasing yellowness (b*) ( P < 0.05). Overall, the 2% MPF formulation provided the best balance among sensory acceptance, technological performance, and nutritional improvement, whereas 4% and 8% MPF maximized dietary fiber enrichment.