Pyoverdin attachment to meat components and its effect on liver enzymes in mice

Pyoverdin attachment to meat and toxicity on liver mice were investigated in an attempt to know if this pigment produced by Pseudomonas on food surface causes any problem to consumers. Pyoverdin was purified by extractions with solvents and chromatography. Pigment fluorescence decreased in supernatant when incubated with meat extracts. Beef bound higher pyoverdin amounts than chicken and fish which saturated their attachment capacity in less time than beef. Pyoverdin could not be completely detached by water rinsing. The non-water soluble myofibrilar fraction coming from meat exhibited more pigment attachment than water soluble fraction, when incubated with purified pyoverdin. In vivo assays performed to test liver alterations showed significant increase of alanine and aspartate amino transferases during ingestion of pyoverdin.