Lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) seed water extract as potential antioxidant and anti-obese natural additive in meat products

The antioxidative properties of lychee seed water extract (LSWE) in raw meat paste during a storage period of 0–15 days at 4 °C were evaluated. The cytotoxic effects and the anti-obese effects of LSWE were evaluated using an in vitro 3T3-L1 preadipocyte cell model. The sensory properties of the cooked meat paste supplemented with different amount of LSWE were also evaluated. Results showed that LSWE was non-toxic and effective in inhibiting preadipocyte differentiation. These effects were attributable to down-regulation of several adipogenesis-specific genes, i.e., PPAR γ, C/EBP α, C/EBP β, C/EBP δ, and KLF9. Supplementation with LSWE was also effective in retarding lipid oxidation of meat paste. Sensory evaluation indicated that LSWE did not adversely affect the sensory properties of the meat paste. On the contrary, LSWE significantly improved the sensory properties of the meat paste during the late stage of the storage period. Based on the results, LSWE was determined to be effective in inhibiting adipogenesis and retarding lipid oxidation, which can improve the safety and quality of meat products.