GLOBAL ANTIOXIDANT RESPONSE OF MEAT

BACKGROUND The global antioxidant response (GAR) method uses an enzymatic digestion to release antioxidants from foods. Due to the importance of digestion for protein break down and subsequent release of bioactive compounds, the aim of the present study was to compare the GAR method for meat with the existing methodologies: the extraction-based method, and QUENCHER. Seven fresh meats were analysed using ABTS and FRAP assays. RESULTS Our results indicated that the GAR of meat was higher than the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) assessed with the traditional extraction-based method. When evaluated with GAR, the thermal treatment led to an increase in the TAC of the soluble fraction, contrasting with a decreased TAC after cooking measured using the extraction-based method. The effect of thermal treatment on the TAC assessed by the QUENCHER method seemed to be dependent on the assay applied since results from ABTS differed from FRAP. CONCLUSION Our results allow us to hypothesize that the activation of latent bioactive peptides along the gastrointestinal tract should be taken into consideration when evaluating the TAC of meat. Therefore we conclude that the GAR method may be more appropriate for assessing the TAC of meat than the existing, most commonly-used methods.