Lipid oxidation in muscle foods

The main factors governing the eating quality of muscle foods are tenderness, color and flavor. Oxidation of lipids is a major cause of deterioration in the quality of muscle foods and can directly affect many quality characteristics such as flavor, color, texture, nutritive value and safety of the food. It is generally accepted that lipid oxidation in muscle foods is initiated in the highly unsaturated phospholipid fraction in subcellular membranes. Oxidative damage to lipids may occur in the living animal because of an imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species and the animal's antioxidant defence mechanisms. This may be brought about by a high intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids, or by a deficiency of nutrients involved in the antioxidant defence system. Damage to lipids is accentuated in the immediate post slaughter period and, in particular, during handling, processing and storage. Dietary factors contribute to the antioxidant defence system and protect biological membranes against lipid oxidation. A variety of nutrients and non-nutrients, including vitamin E, have been shown to affect the prooxidant/antioxidant balance and ultimate quality of the food. This review focuses on the effects of vitamin E and other antioxidant micronutrients on lipid oxidation, color, water-holding capacity and cholesterol oxidation in muscle foods.