Meat protein oxidation: scientific and technological relevance
2013
Estévez, Mario (Universidad de Extremadura, Cáceres (Spain). Facultad de Veterinaria, Tecnología de los Alimentos)
The enormous interest of scientists and consumers on fat oxidation led to numerous research studies that unveiled during decades, the factors, mechanisms and consequences of lipid oxidation on meat systems. Until some recent time, meat scientists ignored that proteins may also be susceptible to oxidative reactions with consequences on meat quality. Encouraged by studies in medical research, scientists from Kentucky University (USA) (Prof. Xiong et al.) carried out the first investigations on protein oxidation in muscle foods. It was soon discovered that meat proteins undergo a large variety of chemical modifications as a result of oxidative stress and that those chemical changes had an impact on protein functionality. Later on, other scientists, including the author of the present study, contributed to illustrating previously unknown issues in relation to the onset, extent and consequences of protein oxidation in meat and processed meat products. The identification of a threat linked to the oxidation of meat proteins challenges meat scientists to develop antioxidant strategies to inhibit these chemical reactions and their deleterious effects on meat quality. In this article, the author aims to present arguments supporting the scientific and technological interest of protein oxidation in meat and meat products.
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