Galloylated polyphenols as inhibitors of hemoglobin-catalyzed lipid oxidation in fish muscle

The influence of galloyl residues on the antioxidant mechanism of polyphenols to prevent hemoglobin-promoted lipid oxidation was investigated by using polyphenolic fractions with different degrees of galloylation: nongalloylated structures from pine bark (IVP), medium-galloylated from grape pomace (IVG), and high-galloylated from witch hazel bark (IVH). Hemoglobin (Hb) from the pelagic fish horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus) was employed as a Hb standard. In vitro experiments showed an important increase in the deoxygenation and autoxidation of horse mackerel Hb at acidic pH values. All polyphenolic fractions significantly reduced the redox stability of Hb in buffer solutions, showing a greater deoxygenation and methemoglobin (metHb) formation in the presence of IVH, followed in decreasing order by IVG and IVP. However, galloylated polyphenols (IVH and IVG) were efficient to inhibit the oxidation of the oxygenated Hb (OxyHb) and the formation of lipid oxidation products in chilled washed fish muscle. This antioxidant activity of galloylated proanthocyanidins showed a positive relationship with the phenolic concentration. Polyphenols devoid of galloyl groups (IVP) were less active to prevent either Hb oxidation or lipid oxidation in fish muscle. The results draw attention to the potential role of galloyl residues to lessen Hb-catalyzed lipid oxidation in muscle and to maintain Hb in reduced and oxygenated states, which exhibit lower pro-oxidant activity as compared to the metHb and deoxyHb species.