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.
Department of Animal Product Quality, Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 50, DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark. jettef.young@agrsci.dk
Jette F
JF
Young
Katja
K
Rosenvold
Jan
J
Stagsted
Charlotte L
CL
Steffensen
Jacob H
JH
Nielsen
Henrik J
HJ
Andersen
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis*; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D004032:Diet; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000032:analysis*; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000737:chemistry*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D005082:Physical Exertion; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000378:metabolism / Q000662:veterinary*; D013552:Swine; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000032:analysis; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000032:analysis
D000975:Antioxidants; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D002374:Catalase; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol