Elsevier

Food Research International

Volume 64, October 2014, Pages 171-181
Food Research International

Review
Natural antioxidants against lipid–protein oxidative deterioration in meat and meat products: A review

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2014.06.022Get rights and content

Highlights

  • Oxidative stress and pre-slaughter welfare of animals is discussed.

  • Side effects of synthetic antioxidants on meat quality are articulated.

  • Potentials of health-promoting bioactive compounds in plants are explained.

  • Use of edible medicinal plants as natural sources of antioxidants for the prevention of oxidation in meat is discussed.

Abstract

Oxidation is a well-known non-microbial cause of quality loss in meat. Oxidative stress occurs due to uneven generation of free radicals reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) which triggers oxidative and/or nitrosative stress and damage of macromolecules including the lipid and protein fractions. Failure of synthetic antioxidants to combat multiple health risks associated with this stress and maintenance of functional integrity of oxidised meat hitherto remains a challenge to the meat industry. A search for a viable alternative amidst the unexploited novel sources of natural antioxidants stands as a sustainable option for preserving the meat quality. In this paper, the potential use of bioactive compounds in medicinal plants is reviewed as phytoremedy against lipid–protein oxidation. Synergistic antimicrobial potentials of these natural antioxidants are also revealed against oxidative deterioration in meat and meat products and, for enhancing their functional properties.

Introduction

Oxidation is one of the major causes of quality deterioration in meat. Meat becomes susceptible to oxidative deterioration due to high concentrations of unsaturated lipids, heme pigments, metal catalysts and a range of oxidizing agents in the muscle tissue. Oxidative deterioration in any type of meat manifests in form of discoloration, development of off flavour, formation of toxic compounds, poor shelf life, nutrient and drip losses, respectively (Contini et al., 2014, Palmieri and Sblendorio, 2007). Under normal physiologic conditions, the molecular oxygen undergoes a series of reactions that leads to the generation of free radicals. A small portion (about 2–5%) of the oxygen consumed during the metabolic reaction is converted to free radicals in the form of reactive oxygen species (ROS). These free radicals, particularly, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS), play key regulatory roles in several homeostatic processes by interacting with proteins, fatty acids and nucleic acids. They act as intermediate agents in essential oxidation–reduction reactions (Moylan et al., 2014, Wiseman & Halliwell, 1996).

Fundamentally, when the production of ROS [(superoxide anions (O2), peroxyl (RO2–), alkoxyl (RO), hydroxyl radicals, singlet oxygen)] and RNS [(nitric oxide radical (NO), peroxynitrite (ONOO) and nitrogen dioxide radical NO2)] does not exceed the capacity of endogenous antioxidant barriers in the body, it performs beneficial functions which include: the control of gene expression, regulation of cell signalling pathways, modulation of skeletal muscle and defence against invading pathogens. In contrast, when in excess and the activity of antioxidant defence is low, it potentially causes damage to cellular components, induces harmful autoimmune responses and causes oxidative and/or nitrosative stress (Barbieri and Sestili, 2012, Power and Jackson, 2008). In general, oxidative stress which is caused by an imbalance between the production of ROS and antioxidant defence mechanisms in multicellular organism (da Silva et al., 2010, Sung et al., 2013) often leads to the modification of redox cell signalling and activation of pathways, and mechanisms involved in cardiovascular or chronic health problems (Alfadda and Sallam, 2012, Gutierrez and Elkind, 2012).

Understanding the activity of free radicals in meat is then important, since high levels of the ROS in meat could reduce its sensory quality (Kolakowska & Bratosz, 2010) and cause loss of protein functionality (Hassan, 2012, Lund et al., 2011) and depletion of essential amino acids like phenylalanine and trypotophan (Ganhao, Morcuende, & Estevez, 2010). Also, the degradation of unsaponifiable and polyunsaturated fatty acid fractions of meat lipids and the conversion of oxymyoglobin [oxyMb (Fe2 +)] to metmyoglobin [MetMb (Fe3 +)] pigment resulting in the generation of free radicals might lead to deterioration of meat protein (Suman & Joseph, 2013). Although antioxidants have the capacity to avert tissue damage by preventing the formation of radicals, by scavenging them or by promoting their decomposition, the use of synthetic antioxidants is also found to impose health risks to man. Consequently, there is a need to explore a suitable alternative from natural sources, such as plant-derived antioxidants, to combat the challenges of oxidative instability of lipids and protein in meat. Aside from this, while the interest in oxidative stress and antioxidant activities continues to grow rapidly, many questions still remain unanswered as to how the chain of events prior to the conversion of muscle to meat can reduce oxidative stress in meat. In this review, attempts were made to address these issues and appraise the potential use of natural bioactive compounds from medicinal plants to ameliorate oxidative stress in meat, to prevent lipid–protein oxidation and improve oxidative stability in meat and meat products.

Section snippets

Oxidative stress and implications on pre-slaughter welfare of animals

The term oxidative stress is used to describe the condition of oxidative damage as a result of an unfavourable critical balance between free radical generation and antioxidant defences (Mc Cord, 2000, Rock et al., 2009). Oxidative stress may occur due to succession of stimuli that disrupt the homeostatic condition of an animal before slaughter (Cataldi, 2010). These external stimuli result from stress imposed on animals during transportation. The effects of rough handling during traditional

Oxidation in meat and meat products

Since the discovery of oxygen in the early 18th century and its inevitable roles in plants and animals, the necessity to control its levels and impacts on food and food products, especially during processing, packaging and distribution, has been a major challenge in the food industry. Basically, oxidation involves the loss of at least one electron when chemicals in the food are exposed to oxygen in the air. Oxidation in lipid and protein fractions of meat has been demonstrated as the main,

Conclusion

The use of bioactive compounds in plant materials as natural antioxidants has a great antimicrobial potential to preserve meat from oxidative deterioration. The application of natural antioxidants is presumed necessary to boost the endogenous antioxidant against oxidative stress in farm animals and prevent lipid–protein oxidation in meat and meat products. However, since the effect of oxidative stress on meat quality has not been adequately investigated, there is a need to explore this area to

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Govan Mbeki Research and Development Centre (GMRDC) of the University of Fort Hare (UFH) for providing financial assistance for this work as part of the UFH's support to the Department of Science and Technology/National Research Foundation (DST/NRF) South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) Chair in Meat Science: Genomics to Nutriomics which is jointly hosted by the Universities of Stellenbosch and Fort Hare. We are also grateful to Dr. Oyedemi Sunday for his

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