Addition of Prunus spinosa L. extract to plant-based burgers formulated with different oils: effects of in vitro gastrointestinal digestion on antioxidant capacity and oxidation status

ABSTRACT During gastrointestinal digestion, oxidative reactions affect the stability and bioaccessibility of nutrients and bioactive compounds. This study evaluated the effect of Prunus spinosa extract on protein and lipid oxidation in cooked soy protein-based burgers formulated with sunflower or olive oil, before and after in vitro digestion. The P. spinosa extract supplied 15-fold more total phenolic compounds than the added mixture of spices. Burgers containing P. spinosa extract showed higher antioxidant activity and phenolic content. Protein oxidation decreased more markedly during digestion in samples with the extract (51–57 %) than in controls (31–39 %), while thiobarbituric acid reactive substances increased less in samples with the extract (61–100 %) than in controls (74–281 %). The type of oil had only a minor influence on the stability and bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds and on the antioxidant capacity. These results highlight that incorporating P. spinosa extract improves the oxidative stability of plant-based meat analogs during the gastrointestinal digestion.