Protein Oxidation in Processed Meat: Mechanisms and Potential Implications on Human Health

Abstract

Processed meats represent a large percentage of muscle foods consumed in the western world. Various processing steps affect the physicochemical properties of the meat, compromise its nutritional components, or produce some compounds that are of health concern. Hence, the impact of oxidation on human health and the aging process and the influence of diet on these harmful reactions are of growing interest. Past decades have seen more focus on lipid oxidation, microbial deterioration, and pathogenicity, as well as production of carcinogenic compounds during meat processing. The oxidation of protein, which is a major component in meat systems, has received less attention. Protein oxidation has been defined as a covalent modification of protein induced either directly by reactive species or indirectly by reaction with secondary by-products of oxidative stress. Not only are these modifications critical for technological and sensory properties of muscle foods, they may have implications on human health and safety when consumed. Cooking, for example, has been observed to increase free radical generation while it also decreases the antioxidant protection systems in meat, both of which contribute to protein oxidation. Many other meat processing techniques, as well as other emerging technologies, may significantly affect protein oxidation and protein overall quality. This paper explores the current understanding of meat processing techniques and their possible effects on the status of protein oxidation and nutritional value, as well as their possible implications on human health.

Protein-Lipid Interactions in Different Meat Systems in the Presence of Natural Antioxidants – a Review

“…A deterioration of nutritive value may be a consequence of interactions between lipid oxidation products and protein [Viljanen et al, 2004]. Oxidation products of lipids easily interact with proteins forming lipid-protein complexes leading to the modifi cation of the protein in terms of chemical composition, structure, functionality and digestibility [Xiong, 2000;Soladoye et al, 2015]. Hydroperoxides, carbonylic derivatives and various other lipid oxidation products react with protein modifying their chemical, physical and technological properties.…”

“…tea, coffee, herbs and spice plants [Shahidi & Zhong, 2010]. The high content of active compounds in these raw materials enables them to become a source of effective and safe natural food additives and, therefore, it seems particularly important to search for appropriate forms of their application and an assessment of their effectiveness in differently processed meat products [Soladoye et al, 2015]. These additives, due to their long tradition of safe consumption and the content of antioxidative substances, are not only able to reduce the amount of lipid oxidation products, but indeed exhibit this activity in an organism and shape the nutritional value of meat products Hęś & Gramza-Michałowska, 2016].…”

Carbonyl and sulfhydryl groups of chicken meat proteins after dietary modulation with selenium

“…Protein oxidation is characterized by greater complexity and a larger variety of oxidation products than lipid oxidation [1][2]. Protein oxidation is responsible for many biological modifications such as protein fragmentation or aggregation, decreased protein solubility, and decreased amino acid bioavailability [3][4].…”

“…Meat proteins are susceptible to oxidative chemical modifications and those oxidized proteins may have an impact on meat quality. The chemical nature some of the particular protein oxidation products is still indefinite and the potential effect of oxidized meat proteins on meat quality or human health remain not fully recognized [1,5]. Protein oxidation is a covalent modification of protein induced either directly by reactive oxygen species, or indirectly by reaction with secondary products of oxidative stress.…”

“…However, the significance of protein carbonylation in meat systems is still poorly understood. Beyond their role as markers of protein oxidation, specific protein carbonyls, such as α-aminoadipic (AAS) and γ-glutamic semialdehydes (GGS), are active compounds that may be implicated in several chemical reactions with relevant consequences on meat quality [1,5].…”