Oxymyoglobin oxidation and membrane lipid peroxidation initiated by iron redox cycle: prevention of oxidation by enzymic and nonenzymic antioxidants.

The red color of muscle is principally due to the presence of oxymyoglobin. Oxidation of heme iron from the ferrous to the ferric state produces a brownish color, which consumers find undesirable. The aim of this study was to use enzymic and nonenzymic antioxidants to simulate in situ muscle antioxidation reactions in order to understand better the mechanism by which the iron redox cycle catalyzes membrane lipid peroxidation and oxymyoglobin oxidation. The inclusion of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the model system decreased oxymyoglobin oxidation by 10% without affecting lipid peroxidation. Addition of catalase decreased oxymyoglobin oxidation by approximately 40% but not lipid peroxidation. Increasing the ceruloplasmin concentration inhibited lipid peroxidation but increased oxymyoglobin oxidation, which was inhibited by SOD and catalase. Conalbumin (50 microM), a specific iron chelator, inhibited peroxidation and oxymyoglobin oxidation by almost 50%. The addition of the antioxidant catechin (500 microM) decreased lipid peroxidation by 90% but oxymyoglobin oxidation by only 50%. Feeding turkeys with vitamin E at several levels significantly increased the alpha-tocopherol level of membranes, thus preventing oxymyoglobin and lipid oxidation. In conclusion, oxymyoglobin stability in the model system was affected by two pathways: (a) oxygen active species, such as O(2)*(-), H(2)O(2), HO*, and ferryl, generated during autoxidation of myoglobin and oxidation of ferrous ions and ascorbic acid; and (b) lipid radicals, such as ROO*, RO*, and hydroperoxides, generated during lipid peroxidation. Maximum inhibition could be achieved only by introducing inhibitors of both pathways into the system.     

Oxymyoglobin oxidation and membranal lipid peroxidation initiated by iron redox cycle.

Oxymyoglobin is the main pigment in muscle tissues, responsible for the bright red color of fresh meat. Oxidation of the heme iron from the ferrous to the ferric metmyoglobin produces the brownish color that consumers find undesirable in fresh meat. The aim of this study was to elucidate the mechanism of oxymyoglobin oxidation in muscle tissues by using a model system containing oxymyoglobin and muscle membranes oxidized by an iron redox cycle. Oxidation of oxymyoglobin was determined from the decrease in absorption of the solution measured by a spectrophotometer at 582 nm. Lipid peroxidation was determined by accumulation of TBARS and conjugated dienes. The higher rates of oxidation of oxymyoglobin (20 microM) and lipid oxidation were achieved by using ferric iron and ascorbic acid at concentrations of 50 and 200 microM, respectively. Increasing the concentration of ascorbic acid to 2000 microM switched its effect to antioxidative. Increasing the concentration of oxymyoglobin from 20 to 80 microM inhibited lipid peroxidation by >90% and partially prevented oxymyoglobin oxidation.     

Effects of oxidized dietary oil and vitamin E supplementation on lipid profile and oxidation of muscle and liver of juvenile atlantic cod (Gadus morhua)

The effects of oxidized dietary lipid and the role of vitamin E on lipid profile, retained tocopherol levels, and lipid oxidation of juvenile Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) were evaluated following a 9-week feeding trial. Four isonitrogenous experimental diets containing fresh or oxidized (peroxide value of 94 mequiv/kg) fish oil with or without added vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol or mixed tocopherols) were fed to juvenile cod in duplicate tanks. There was no significant (P > 0.05) influence on major lipid classes of cod liver and muscle by diet with the exception of sterols. Sterols content was increased in liver but decreased in muscle by oxidized dietary oil in the absence of vitamin E. Dietary vitamin E supplementation decreased the sterols level in cod liver but with no significant (P > 0.05) effect on their level in the muscle. Fatty acid composition varied between lipid fractions in muscle tissue and was affected by the diet. Oxidized oil significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the deposition of alpha-tocopherol in liver but not in muscle. gamma- and delta-Tocopherols from dietary tocopherol mixtures were retained at very low levels in liver, but higher retention was observed in muscle tissue. The oxidative state of both liver and muscle, as measured by the 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and headspace propanal, negatively correlated with tissue vitamin E levels. It is suggested that oxidized oil affected juvenile Atlantic cod by causing vitamin E deficiency in certain tissues and that these effects could be alleviated by supplementation of a sufficient amount of dietary vitamin E. The results also indicate that mixed tocopherols were good antioxidants for Atlantic cod, although less effective than alpha-tocopherol alone in many tissues with the exception of muscle, where gamma- and delta-tocopherols were deposited at relatively high levels.     

Protective effect of supplementation of fish oil with high n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids against oxidative stress-induced DNA damage of rat liver in vivo

The present study was undertaken to know the effect of supplementation of fish oil with high n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) on oxidative stress-induced DNA damage of rat liver in vivo. Male Wistar rats were fed a diet containing fish oil or safflower oil with high n-6 PUFA at 50 g/kg of diet and an equal amount of vitamin E at 59 mg/kg of diet for 6 weeks. Livers of rats fed fish oil were rich in n-3 PUFA, whereas those of rats fed safflower oil were rich in n-6 PUFA. Ferric nitrilotriacetate was intraperitoneally injected to induce oxidative stress. The degree of lipid peroxidation of the liver was assessed by the levels of phospholipid hydroperoxides and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), and the degree of oxidative DNA damage was assessed by comet type characterization in alkaline single-cell gel electrophoresis and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine levels. The levels of TBARS of the livers of the fish oil diet group increased to a greater extent than those of the safflower oil diet group, whereas the levels of the hydroperoxides of the livers of both diet groups increased to a similar extent. The vitamin E level of livers of the fish oil diet group was remarkably decreased. The degree of DNA damage of both diet groups was increased, but the increased level of the fish oil diet group was remarkably lower than that of the safflower oil diet group. The above results indicate that fish oil supplementation does not enhance but appears to protect against oxidative stress-induced DNA damage and suggest that lipid peroxidation does not enhance but lowers the DNA damage.     

不同贮藏条件下荷花粉脂质氧化与色泽降解动力学模型

为了减少干燥后荷花粉贮藏过程中品质的劣变,该研究选用可真空和避光的包装材料,分别研究了30 d贮藏过程中温度(4、20、30℃)、光照(避光、非避光)和氧气(真空、常压)对荷花粉黄色度值(b*值)、过氧化氢值(peroxide value,POV)和硫代苯巴比妥酸反应底物值(thiobarbituric acid reactive substances,TBArs)变化动力学的影响;同时,采用零阶和一阶数学模型对试验数据进行模拟。结果表明:贮藏温度对荷花粉贮藏过程中品质劣变具有显著影响。在避光真空包装条件下,温度为20和30℃贮藏30 d,与4℃贮藏条件相比,荷花粉黄色度值显著降低(P0.05),POV值和TBArs值显著上升(P0.05);贮藏温度为4℃,真空包装贮藏发现,光照对荷花粉POV值的影响不显著(P0.05),但明显加快了脂质氧化的传播速度,非避光条件下贮藏30 d,TBArs值上升了7.42 mg/kg;零阶模型可较好的预测荷花粉贮藏过程中脂质TBArs值的变化,一阶模型可较好的预测荷花粉贮藏过程中黄色度和脂质POV值的变化规律。研究结果为脱水后荷花粉贮藏过程中品质劣变规律的探索及贮藏条件的选择提供了一定的基础。     

Lipid peroxidation and coupled vitamin oxidation in simulated and human gastric fluid inhibited by dietary polyphenols: health implications

The Western diet contains large quantities of oxidized lipids, because a large proportion of the food in the diet is consumed in a fried, heated, processed, or stored form. We investigated the reaction that could occur in the acidic pH of the stomach and accelerate the generation of lipid hydroperoxides and cooxidation of dietary vitamins. To estimate the oxygen content in the stomach after food consumption, oxygen released from masticated bread (20 g) into deoxygenated water (100 mL) was measured. Under these conditions, the oxygen concentration rose by 250 microM and reached a full oxygen saturation. The present study demonstrated that heated red meat homogenized in human gastric fluid, at pH 3.0, generated hydroperoxides and malondialdehyde. The cross-reaction between free radicals produced during this reaction cooxidized vitamin E, beta-carotene, and vitamin C. Both lipid peroxidation and cooxidation of vitamin E and beta-carotene were inhibited at pH 3.0 by red wine polyphenols. Ascorbic acid (44 mg) at a concentration that represented the amount that could be ingested during a meal inhibited lipid peroxidation only slightly. Red wine polyphenols failed to prevent ascorbic acid oxidation significantly but, in conjunction with ascorbic acid, did inhibit lipid peroxidation. In the presence of catechin, a well-known polyphenol found in red wine, ascorbic acid at pH 3.0 works in a synergistic manner preventing lipid peroxidation and beta-carotene cooxidation. The present data may explain the major benefits to our health and the crucial role of consuming food products rich in dietary antioxidants such as fruits, vegetables, red wines, or green tea during the meal.     

Effect of aqueous and lipophilic mullet (Mugil cephalus) Bottarga extracts on the growth and lipid profile of intestinal Caco-2 cells

The importance of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA) intake has long been recognized in human nutrition. Although health benefits, n-3 PUFA are subject to rapid and/or extensive oxidation during processing and storage, resulting in potential alteration in nutritional composition and quality of food. Bottarga, a salted and semi-dried mullet ( Mugil cephalus ) ovary product, is proposed as an important source of n-3 PUFA, having high levels of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). In this work, we investigated the extent of lipid oxidation of grated bottarga samples during 7 months of storage at -20 °C and room temperature under light exposure. Cell viability, lipid composition, and lipid peroxidation were measured in intestinal differentiated Caco-2 cell monolayers after 6-48 h of incubation with lipid and hydrophilic extracts obtained from bottarga samples at different storage conditions. The storage of bottarga did not affect the n-3 PUFA level, but differences were observed in hydroperoxide levels in samples from different storage conditions. All tested bottarga extracts did not show a toxic effect on cell viability of differentiated Caco-2 cells. Epithelial cells incubated with bottarga oil had significant changes in fatty acid composition but not in cholesterol levels with an accumulation of EPA, DHA, and 22:5. Cell hydroperoxides were higher in treated cells, in relation to the oxidative status of bottarga oil. Moreover, the bottarga lipid extract showed an in vitro inhibitory effect on the growth of a colon cancer cell line (undifferentiated Caco-2 cells).     

Mechanism of oxymyoglobin oxidation in the presence of oxidizing lipids in bovine muscle

Lipid oxidation and oxymyoglobin oxidation were measured in bovine muscle homogenates. M. longissimus dorsi homogenates (25% w/w, pH 5.7) were prepared, held at 4 degrees C, and subjected to one of the following treatments: (i) stirred and bubbled with oxygen, (ii) stirred with no oxygen, or (iii) neither stirred nor bubbled with oxygen (control). Lipid oxidation was initiated with 45 microM ferric chloride/sodium ascorbate. Lipid oxidation was highest and oxymyoglobin oxidation lowest in the homogenate bubbled with oxygen while lipid oxidation was lowest and oxymyoglobin oxidation highest in the control homogenate. Dissolved oxygen became depleted over time in the control homogenate, remained high in the homogenate bubbled with oxygen, but decreased and then increased in the homogenate stirred with no oxygen. Free radical formation was lower in the control homogenate than in the stirred homogenates as determined by spin trapping and electron spin resonance detection. The data indicated that lipid oxidation-induced oxygen depletion, as opposed to primary or secondary lipid oxidation products, is a likely cause of oxymyoglobin oxidation in muscle systems.     

Impact of dietary conjugated linoleic acid on the oxidative stability of rat liver microsomes and skeletal muscle homogenates

Dietary conjugated linoleic acid (CLA; 0-2.0%) increased CLA concentrations in liver microsomes and skeletal muscle homogenates from rats. Dietary CLA decreased oleic and arachadonic acid concentrations in both liver microsomes and skeletal muscle. The presence of CLA in liver microsomes had no impact on linoleic acid, arachadonic acid, and alpha-tocopherol oxidation rates. Dietary CLA (2.0%) also did not alter alpha-tocopherol oxidation rates in liver microsomes or muscle homogenates. Formation of malonaldehyde (MDA) in oxidizing liver microsomes decreased with increasing CLA concentration as determined by measurement of thiobarbituric acid-MDA complexes by HPLC. The ability of CLA to decrease MDA formation without impacting other lipid oxidation markers such as the disappearance of fatty acid and alpha-tocopherol suggests that decreased MDA concentration was the result of CLA's ability to lower polyenoic fatty acids such as arachadonic acid. While CLA does not appear to act as an antioxidant, its ability to decrease polyenoic fatty acid concentrations could decrease the formation of highly cytotoxic lipid oxidation products such as MDA.     

Alpha-tocopherol oxidation in fish muscle during chilling and frozen storage

The oxidation of alpha-tocopherol (TH) in chilled and frozen fish muscle was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry. TH oxidation byproducts were identified as alpha-tocopherolquinone (TQ), 5,6-epoxy-alpha-tocopherolquinone (TQE1), and 2-3-epoxy-alpha-tocopherolquinone (TQE2). The concentration of TH decreased significantly during storage while those of TQ, TQE1, and TQE2 increased noteworthy. The relative amounts of TH and its oxidized products were significantly related with the extent of oxidation produced in postmortem fish, and the ratio TQ/TH is suggested as an index of oxidative stress in fish muscle. The effect of phenolic antioxidants supplementation on retarding TH oxidation was also studied. Data suggested that the addition of 100 ppm of caffeic acid, hydroxytyrosol, and propyl gallate could regenerate endogenous TH from its oxidized forms resulting in an antioxidant synergy consistent with the reduction of lipid oxidation observed in fish muscle supplemented with phenolic compounds.     

Significance of vitamin E supplementation, dietary content of polyunsaturated fatty acids, and preslaughter stress on oxidative status in pig as reflected in cell integrity and antioxidative enzyme activities in porcine muscle

The present study investigates the combined effects of feed-induced increase in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) content and/or alpha-tocopherol content in pig muscles and preslaughter stress on cell integrity. Cell integrity was determined by plasma lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity, and antioxidative status of muscle was measured by activities of the antioxidative enzymes catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase. Preslaughter stress increased LDH activity, reflecting loss in cell membrane integrity independent of increased content of PUFA and/or alpha-tocopherol. However, feed-induced increase of PUFA decreased the LDH activity in plasma immediately after slaughter. Catalase activity in the muscle tissue increased as a consequence of the high-PUFA diet, which may indicate an increased demand caused by introduction of oxidative labile PUFA.     

Ameliorative influence of sesame lignans on lipid profile and lipid peroxidation in induced diabetic rats

Sesame lignans are working as antioxidants in various physiological functions. In the present study, the antioxidative effect of sesame lignans is examined in chemically induced diabetes mellitus (DM) in rats against lipid profile and lipid peroxidations. DM was induced in four groups of rats by injection of alloxan. The control groups (non-diabetic and diabetic) received a diet containing sunflower oil while the rest of the three experimental diabetic groups received a diet containing 0.25% alpha-tocopherol (D-Toc), 0.5% sesame lignan (D-SL), and 0.25% alpha-tocopherol+0.25% sesame lignan (D-Toc-SL) in sunflower oil for 4 weeks. Lipid profile and lipid peroxidations of plasma, erythrocyte membrane (EM), and liver tissues were measured. The total cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol, plasma lipid peroxidation, and also LDL-peroxidation decreased, and HDL cholesterol increased significantly (P<0.05) in all the experimental groups as compared to the control diabetic sunflower oil group. The triacylglycerol (TAG) level in plasma decreased significantly in the D-SL and D-Toc-SL groups as compared to control diabetic group. Significant decrease in TAG level was observed in the D-SL group as compared to the D-Toc group. LDL peroxidation also decreased significantly in the D-Toc-SL group as compared to the D-Toc group. EM lipid peroxidation and liver lipid peroxidation decreased significantly in the D-Toc, D-SL, and D-Toc-SL groups as compared to the control diabetic group. Liver TAG level decreased more significantly in the D-SL and D-Toc-SL groups than in the control diabetic group. So, sesame lignans at 0.5% level and sesame lignan + alpha-tocopherol significantly ameliorate the alteration in lipid profile and the adverse free radical generative influence of DM induced by alloxan.     

Antioxidant activity of dietary oregano essential oil and alpha-tocopheryl acetate supplementation in long-term frozen stored turkey meat

The effects of dietary oregano essential oil and alpha-tocopheryl acetate supplementation on the oxidative stability of long-term frozen stored turkey meat were investigated. Thirty 12-week-old turkeys, randomly divided into five groups, were given a basal diet or a basal diet supplemented with 200 mg of alpha-tocopheryl acetate kg(-1), or 100 or 200 mg of oregano oil kg(-1), or 100 mg of oregano oil plus 100 mg of alpha-tocopheryl acetate kg(-1) for 4 weeks prior to slaughter. Lipid oxidation in breast and thigh meat was assessed after 1, 3, 6, and 9 months of frozen storage at -20 degrees C prior to or following 7 days of refrigerated storage at 4 degrees C. Results showed that oregano oil increased the oxidative stability of breast and thigh meat during the frozen storage. Dietary oregano oil at the inclusion level of 200 mg kg(-1) feed was significantly (p < 0.05) more effective in delaying lipid oxidation compared to the level of 100 mg kg(-1), but equivalent to dietary alpha-tocopheryl acetate supplementation at 200 mg kg(-1), which in turn was inferior to dietary supplementation of 100 mg kg(-1) oregano essential oil plus 100 mg kg(-1) alpha-tocopheryl acetate that was significantly (p < 0.05) superior to all other treatments. Thigh meat was more susceptible to oxidation than breast meat, although the former contained alpha-tocopherol at markedly higher levels. Mean alpha-tocopherol levels in breast and thigh meat from all treatments decreased during the frozen storage, the decrease being sharper between 1 and 3 months of frozen storage for breast and between 3 and 6 months for thigh meat. Oregano oil supplementation increased (p < 0.05) the retention of alpha-tocopherol in meat, the increase being positively correlated with the supplementation level. However, the retention of alpha-tocopherol in meat could only partly elucidate the antioxidant activity exhibited by dietary oregano oil supplementation.     

抗氧化剂对辐照猪肉理化和感官品质的影响

为减少猪肉辐照灭菌后产生的异味和脂肪氧化,研究了叔丁基对苯二酚、虾青素、维生素E、茶多酚4种抗氧化剂对辐照猪肉理化和感官品质的影响。采用2 g/L抗氧化剂浸泡处理,透氧包装,辐照剂量2.6 kGy,冷藏10 d。分析测定辐照猪肉感官品质、过氧化值、硫代巴比妥酸反应物、挥发性物质、抗氧化剂对羟自由基清除能力,筛选出适合猪肉辐照的高效抗氧化剂。结果表明：叔丁基对苯二酚在储藏期可以很好地减轻辐照异味并抑制脂肪氧化,效果优于虾青素、维生素E、茶多酚。叔丁基对苯二酚和维生素E可以有效地降低脂肪辐照后产生的挥发性物质含量。叔丁基对苯二酚（0.5 g/L）对羟自由基的清除率为52.5%,高于其他抗氧化剂,可抑制猪肉辐照过程中羟自由基参与的反应。     

Significance of preslaughter stress and different tissue PUFA levels on the oxidative status and stability of porcine muscle and meat

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and exercise-induced stress are known to increase the oxidative susceptibility of lipids in muscle tissue. In contrast, antioxidative enzymes, e.g., catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase, are known to help sustain the delicate oxidative balance in biological tissue upon the application of stressors. The present study investigates the combined effect of different diet-induced muscle PUFA contents and preslaughter stress on the activity of antioxidative muscle enzymes and the oxidative stability of cooked meat. An increased content of unsaturated fatty acids in the tissue led to a decreased activity of lactate dehydrogenase in the plasma, indicating increased cell integrity. Catalase activity in the muscle tissue increased with increasing PUFA levels. However, this upregulation in antioxidative status of the muscle could not counteract the subsequent development of accelerated lipid oxidation in cooked meat as measured in terms of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances. Moreover, preslaughter stress induced increasing oxidative changes with elevated PUFA levels in the muscle tissue.     

Effect of dietary high-oleic-acid oils that are rich in antioxidants on microsomal lipid peroxidation in rats

In contrast to other metabolic functions, the role of dietary antioxidants and oil on microsomal lipid oxidation has been less extensively studied. This study examines ascorbate-Fe(2+) and NADPH-induced lipid peroxidation of hepatic microsomes of rats that were fed for three weeks high-oleic-acid oils (high-oleic sunflower oil, HOSO; olive oil, OO; or olive pomace oil, OPO) containing different concentrations of the antioxidants alpha-tocopherol, erythrodiol, and oleanolic acid. The fatty acid composition of hepatic microsomes of Wistar rats that were fed for three weeks with the above-mentioned oils had lower proportions of C16:0, C18:2n6, and C22:6n3 and higher proportions of C18:0 and C18:1n9 than rats fed the control diet. Light emission by hepatic microsomes increased, in the first 180 min, 2-fold after ascorbate-Fe(2+) addition compared with NADPH addition. Both increases were less pronounced in microsomes of OPO-fed rats and to a smaller extent in microsomes of OO-fed rats. Smaller increases in light emission were associated positively with higher concentrations of dietary alpha-tocopherol, erythrodiol, and oleanolic acid but were not associated with changes in fatty acid composition of hepatic microsomes. Addition of alpha-tocopherol, erythrodiol, or oleanolic acid decreased light emission of hepatic microsomes with a greater inhibition in microsomes of rats fed the control diet. Our data suggest that erythrodiol and oleanolic acids partly explain the protective effect of dietary OPO on microsomal lipid peroxidation in rats.     

Interactions between mitochondrial lipid oxidation and oxymyoglobin oxidation and the effects of vitamin E

Off-flavor and discoloration of meat products result from lipid oxidation and myoglobin (Mb) oxidation, respectively, and these two processes appear to be interrelated. The objective of this study was to investigate their potential interaction in mitochondria and the effects of mitochondrial alpha-tocopherol concentrations on lipid oxidation and metmyoglobin (MetMb) formation in vitro. The addition of ascorbic acid and ferric chloride (AA-Fe(3+)) increased ovine and bovine mitochondrial lipid oxidation when compared with their controls (p < 0.05); MetMb formation also increased with increased lipid oxidation relative to controls (p < 0.05). Reactions containing Mb and mitochondria with greater alpha-tocopherol concentrations demonstrated less lipid oxidation and MetMb formation than mitochondria with lower alpha-tocopherol concentrations. Greater mitochondrial alpha-tocopherol concentration was also correlated with increased mitochondrial oxygen consumption in vitro and with a more pronounced effect at pH 7.2 than at pH 5.6. Relative to controls, succinate addition to bovine mitochondria resulted in increased concentrations of ubiquinol 10 and alpha-tocopherol and decreased lipid and Mb oxidation (p < 0.05). Mitochondrial lipid oxidation was closely related to MetMb formation; both processes were inhibited by alpha-tocopherol in a concentration-dependent manner.     

Relationship between fatty acid profile and vitamin E content in maize hybrids (Zea mays L.)

The balance between the vitamin E (tocochromanols) and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) contents mainly determines the susceptibility to lipid peroxidation and the storage stability of corn oil. In 1997, field experiments were conducted at two different locations to evaluate a collection of 30 corn hybrids for fatty acid profiles and tocochromanol contents. Hybrids differed significantly (p < 0.01) for major fatty acids, as well as for tocochromanol contents and composition. The major fatty acids were palmitic, oleic, and linoleic acids, whose contents were in the ranges 9.2-12.1%, 19.5-30.5%, and 53.0-65.3%, respectively. The tocopherol contents ranged as follows: alpha-tocopherol, 67-276 mg (kg of oil)(-1); beta-tocopherol, 0-20 mg (kg of oil)(-1); gamma-tocopherol, 583-1048 mg (kg of oil)(-1); delta-tocopherol, 12-71 mg (kg of oil)(-1); total tocopherol, 767-1344 mg (kg of oil)(-1). gamma-Tocopherol was the predominant derivative among all tocopherols. The tocotrienol contents were in the ranges 46-89, 53-164, and 99-230 mg (kg of oil)(-1) for alpha-, gamma-, and total tocotrienol contents, respectively. The tocotrienol profile was not characterized by the predominance of any tocotrienol homologue. alpha-Tocopherol was positively correlated with PUFA (r = 0.41) and with the vitamin E equivalent (vit E equiv) (r = 0.84), and it was not correlated with gamma-tocopherol. gamma-Tocopherol was highly correlated with total tocopherol and tocochromanol contents (r = 0.93 and r = 0.90, respectively), indicating that the contribution of this vitamer to the total tocochromanol content is the most important among all tocochromanols. The high positive correlation found between the vit E/PUFA ratio and the vit E equiv, as well as the absence of correlation between this ratio and PUFA indicates that a higher vit E/PUFA ratio can be easier achieved be increasing the vitamin E content than by modifying fatty acid profile in corn oil.     

Antimicrobial and antioxidant effects of milk protein-based film containing essential oils for the preservation of whole beef muscle

Milk protein-based edible films containing 1.0% (w/v) oregano, 1.0% (w/v) pimento, or 1.0% oregano-pimento (1:1) essential oils mix were applied on beef muscle slices to control the growth of pathogenic bacteria and increase the shelf life during storage at 4 degrees C. Meat and film were periodically tested during 7 days for microbial and biochemical analysis. The lipid oxidation potential of meat was evaluated by the determination of thiobarbituric reactive substances (TBARS). The availability of phenolic compounds from essential oils was evaluated by the determination of total phenolic compounds present in the films during storage. Antioxidant properties of films during storage were also evaluated following a modified procedure of the N,N-diethyl-p-phenylenediamine colorimetric method. Oregano-based films stabilized lipid oxidation in beef muscle samples, whereas pimento-based films presented the highest antioxidant activity. The application of bioactive films on meat surfaces containing 10(3) colony-forming units/cm2 of Escherichia coli O157:H7 or Pseudomonas spp. showed that film containing oregano was the most effective against both bacteria, whereas film containing pimento oils seems to be the least effective against these two bacteria. A 0.95 log reduction of Pseudomonas spp. level, as compared to samples without film, was observed at the end of storage in the presence of films containing oregano extracts. A 1.12 log reduction of E. coli O157:H7 level was noted in samples coated with oregano-based films.     

Antioxidative activity and antidiscoloration efficacy of ergothioneine in mushroom (Flammulina velutipes) extract added to beef and fish meats

The antioxidative property of a hydrophilic extract prepared from the fruiting body of edible mushroom ( Flammulina velutipes) was evaluated. The mushroom extract contained ergothioneine (ERT) at a level of 3.03 +/- 0.07 mg/mL, showed higher 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, and suppressed lipid oxidation of bigeye tuna meat more effectively than authentic L-ERT added at the same concentration. The authentic L-ERT had stronger total reducing power than the mushroom extract and inhibited the formation of metmyoglobin (metMb) more significantly in bigeye tuna meat. Lipid oxidation in beef and fish meats to which the mushroom extract had been added was "virtually" controlled during storage on ice. Ground beef and bigeye tuna meat with the extract added kept their natural colors unchanged for longer than 12 and 7 days of ice storage, respectively. Contrary to this, browning in meat color was observed in the control samples without the extract after 6 and 2 days of storage, respectively, when stored under similar conditions. There was significant correlation between meat color and chemical parameters, including total lipid hydroperoxides, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, and metMb. However, there was no significant correlation between pH value and meat discoloration. These results suggest that ERT in the hydrophilic extract of F. velutipes plays an important role as a color stabilizer of meats.