Global antioxidant response of meat

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Biochemistry
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• The global antioxidant response (GAR) method utilizes enzymatic digestion to release antioxidants from food matrices.
• Digestion is crucial for protein breakdown and the release of bioactive compounds.
• Existing methods for assessing antioxidant capacity in meat include extraction-based methods and QUENCHER.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficacy of the GAR method for meat antioxidant assessment against traditional extraction-based and QUENCHER methodologies.
• To investigate the impact of thermal treatment on meat's total antioxidant capacity (TAC) using different assessment methods.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of seven fresh meat samples using the GAR method.
• Comparison with traditional extraction-based methods and the QUENCHER method.
• Quantification of total antioxidant capacity (TAC) using ABTS and FRAP assays.

Main Results:

• The GAR method indicated a higher TAC in meat compared to the traditional extraction-based method.
• Thermal treatment increased TAC in the soluble fraction when assessed by GAR, but decreased it when assessed by the extraction-based method.
• The QUENCHER method's results for thermal treatment effects on TAC were assay-dependent (ABTS vs. FRAP).

Conclusions:

• The activation of latent bioactive peptides during gastrointestinal digestion should be considered when evaluating meat's TAC.
• The GAR method appears more suitable for assessing the TAC of meat than currently prevalent methods.
• Findings suggest GAR provides a more comprehensive evaluation of meat's antioxidant potential, considering digestive processes.