Antioxidant consumption and development of oxidation during ageing of buffalo meat produced in Argentina

Buffalo meat production is increasing in Argentina. Information on meat quality and nutritional value will be useful in marketing. This work describes the oxidative stability of the Longissimus dorsi (LD) in relation to consumption of antioxidant vitamins, fatty acid composition and color deterioration during ageing. Vitamins levels found in fresh beef were 4.22±0.93; 0.24±0.05 and 0.25±0.06μg/g for α- and γ-tocopherol, and β-carotene, respectively. Vitamin loss was almost 90% throughout an ageing period of 25 days at 2°C. Concomitantly, TBARS levels increased from 0.076±0.018 to 0.14 6±0.032mg MDA/kg beef. Hexanal and pentanal levels were low and no correlations with oxidation were detected (P>0.05). The predominant color changes in aged beef were reduced redness and yellowness with an increase in lightness (P<0.05). Vitamin levels and TBARS were used to develop a prediction equation for post-mortem aging.