Is muscle food a real good source of bioactive antioxidants

Consumption of muscle food is considered to be one of the main cause of the incidence of many cardiovascular diseases and even some types of cancers. That is why the recent WHO recommendation is to lower the amount of meat and especially processed meat products in diet, However, unprocessed meat is a rich source of many valuable, beneficial and bioactive substances including vitamins, minerals and natural antioxidants. The latest one are substances present in food at relatively low concentration, comparing to easily oxidized molecules, which are able to decrease the dynamic of lipids, proteins, DNA and carbohydrates oxidation processes. The presence of active antioxidants determines both the quality and durability of food products, including meat. Antioxidants are generally divided, according their way of food products, including meat. Antioxidants are generally divided, according their way of action, to protective inhibitors and proper antioxidants. Protective inhibitors are able to remove the primary active reduction products of oxygen or a transition metal converting an inactive form and inhibitors acting on secondary catalysts for the oxidation of lipids. Proper antioxidants intervening the chain reactions of lipid oxidation by reacting with the lipid radicals. Maintaining the balance between antioxidants and prooxidants is necessary for the proper functioning of a living organist and prevent negative effects of oxidative stress. Mechanisms of defense against reactive oxygen species can be divided into three groups consisting of: antioxidant enzymes (glutathione peroxidase, catalase and superoxide dismutase), the hydrophilic and hydrophobic low molecular weight antioxidants that disrupt free radical chain reactions, and as well proteins able to bind prooxidative transition metal ions. In meat the first line of defense i.e. enzymes, are not active, as a result of processing operations, in particular heat treatment and high concentrations of sodium chloride, So, the primary antioxidative defense system of meat is based on low molecular weight endogenous antioxidants, both hydrophilic and lipophilic. Naturally occurring in meat antioxidants and carotenoids, as well as water-soluble amines, amino acids, peptides i.e. carnosine and anserine, histidine related compounds, and protein thiols, glutathione, uric acid and polyphenols. Currently, in the technology of food of animal origin a strong trend to increase antioxidants compounds concentration is observed. It can be done directly by adding antioxidants during meat processing. As well as on the indirect way by the animals diet modification. However, due to dualistic properties of some antioxidants and potential reactions with other meat components during processing leading to the acceleration of oxidation processes and formation of toxic/harmful compounds, special attention should be put to this aspect of meat science and technology.

کلیدواژه ها:

Meat ، Antioxidants ، Carnosine ، Glutathione ، Taurin