Xinping Diao

Antioxidant activity of black currant (Ribes nigrum L.) extract and its inhibitory effect on lipid and protein oxidation of pork patties during chilled storage

This experiment was conducted to assess the antioxidant efficacy of black currant (Ribes nigrum L.) extract (BCE) in raw pork patties during chilled storage. The extracting conditions of frozen BCE including ethanol concentrations (0-100%) and extracting times (0.25-12h) were studied. BCE extracted with 40% ethanol for 2h had the highest anthocyanin content, the strongest radical scavenging activities as well as the second strongest reducing power. BCE was condensed and added to pork patties at 5, 10 or 20 g/kg. Compared with the control, BCE treatments significantly decreased the thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance values and carbonyls formation and reduced the sulfhydryl loss of pork patties in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.05), which showed that the BCE significantly inhibited lipid and protein oxidation. The BCE-treated patties showed significantly higher redness (P<0.05) than the control. The findings demonstrated strong potential for BCE as a natural antioxidant in meat and meat products.

Moisture migration, microstructure damage and protein structure changes in porcine longissimus muscle as influenced by multiple freeze-thaw cycles

This study investigated the effects of multiple freeze-thaw (F-T) cycles on water mobility, microstructure damage and protein structure changes in porcine longissimus muscle. The transverse relaxation time T2 increased significantly when muscles were subjected to multiple F-T cycles (P<0.05), which means that immobile water shifted to free water and the free water mobility increased. Multiple F-T cycles caused sarcomere shortening, Z line fractures, and I band weakening and also led to microstructural destruction of muscle tissue. The decreased free amino group content and increased dityrosine in myofibrillar protein (MP) revealed that multiple F-T cycles caused protein cross-linking and oxidation. In addition, the results of size exclusion chromatography, circular dichroism spectra, UV absorption spectra, and intrinsic fluorescence spectroscopy indirectly proved that multiple F-T cycles could cause protein aggregation and degradation, α-helix structure disruption, hydrophobic domain exposure, and conformational changes of MP. Overall, repeated F-T cycles changed the protein structure and water distribution within meat.

Physicochemical and structural properties of composite gels prepared with myofibrillar protein and lard diacylglycerols.

The objective of this study was to investigate the physicochemical and structural properties of composite gels prepared with porcine myofibrillar protein (MP) and lard, glycerolized lard (GL) or purified glycerolized lard (PGL). The gels prepared with MP and GL or PGL had significantly higher penetration force and water-holding capacity (WHC) than the gel with lard (P<0.05) and formed a more compact and orderly microstructure. Compared with the distributions of T2 relaxation times of the pure MP gel, T21 and T22 of the gels that were prepared with GL or PGL moved in the direction of slower relaxation time, which suggests that the water mobility in the gel system was restricted. The presence of lard, GL and PGL did not affect the participating proteins in composite gels. The presence of GL and PGL altered the secondary and tertiary structures of MP in composite gels, which changed the gel properties. In general, the composite gels that were prepared with MP and GL or PGL showed improved gel quality.

Contributions of Fat Content and Oxidation to the Changes in Physicochemical and Sensory Attributes of Pork Dumpling Filler during Frozen Storage

This study was conducted to evaluate the contributions of fat addition levels and storage duration at -18 °C to the oxidation and physicochemical changes of frozen pork dumpling filler. With an increase in the fat addition, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances and carbonyl production increased (P < 0.05), the transition temperatures (Tmax) shifted to lower temperatures, and the total enthalpy (ΔH) of protein denaturation reduced (P < 0.05). Dynamic rheological measurements revealed a compromised viscoelastic network in filler protein gels with increased fat levels and storage time. Increasing the fat level also increased cooking loss and decreased breaking strength (P < 0.05). The sensory results showed that the dumplings with a high fat level had significantly higher texture, juiciness, and overall acceptability scores (P < 0.05). The results suggest that the dumplings with a high fat level stored for long periods enhanced oxidation and cooking loss and decreased breaking strength; however, it is important to add proper fat considering the palatability.