Nitrite curing of chicken, pork, and beef inhibits oxidation but does not affect N-nitroso compound (NOC)-specific DNA adduct formation during in vitro digestion.
Uncured and nitrite-cured chicken, pork, and beef were used as low, medium, and high sources of heme-Fe, respectively, and exposed to an in vitro digestion model simulating the mouth, stomach, duodenum, and colon. With increasing content of iron compounds, up to 25-fold higher concentrations of the toxic lipid oxidation products malondialdehyde, 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal, and other volatile aldehydes were formed during digestion, together with increased protein carbonyl compounds as measurement of protein oxidation. Nitrite curing of all meats lowered lipid and protein oxidation to the level of oxidation in uncured chicken. Strongly depending on the individual fecal inoculum, colonic digestion of beef resulted in significantly higher concentrations of the NOC-specific DNA adduct O(6)-carboxymethyl-guanine compared to chicken and pork, whereas nitrite curing had no significant effect. This study confirms previously reported evidence that heme-Fe is involved in the epidemiological association between red meat consumption and colorectal cancer, but questions the role of nitrite curing in this association.
Laboratory for Animal Nutrition and Animal Product Quality, Department of Animal Production, Ghent University , Melle, Belgium.
Thomas
T
Van Hecke
Julie
J
Vanden Bussche
Lynn
L
Vanhaecke
Els
E
Vossen
John
J
Van Camp
Stefaan
S
De Smet
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002645:Chickens; D018736:DNA Adducts / Q000737:chemistry*; D004063:Digestion; D005519:Food Preservation; D005520:Food Preservatives / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D006418:Heme / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009573:Nitrites / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D009603:Nitroso Compounds / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D009753:Nutritive Value; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D013552:Swine
D018736:DNA Adducts; D005520:Food Preservatives; D008055:Lipids; D009573:Nitrites; D009603:Nitroso Compounds; D006418:Heme