Cowhide gelatin peptide as a source of antioxidants for inhibiting the deterioration of pudding quality during storage

•The raw material is cowhide.•Gelatin peptides have excellent antioxidant properties.•Significantly prolongs the storage life of the pudding. To investigate the effect of gelatin peptide on the inhibition of quality deterioration in stored pudding, gelatin peptide with antioxidant properties was added to pudding products. For this purpose, a pudding recipe containing gelatin peptides was created. The gelatin peptides were characterized based on their antioxidant activity and protein structure. It was found that gelatin peptides had better antioxidant properties, lower thermal stability and crystallinity, higher hydrophobic amino acid content, and greater surface hydrogen bond exposure than commercially available peptides. Properties such as the pH, colony growth, and sensory characteristics of the pudding were characterized at 4 °C and 25 °C. The results showed that the addition of 0.5–1.0 % gelatin peptide to pudding was capable of significantly (P< 0.05) slowing down the decline in pH and sensory scores of the pudding and significantly inhibiting colony growth. It could prolong its storage life by five days at 4 °C and three days at 25 °C.