ANTIOXIDANT ENZYME-ACTIVITIES IN BEEF IN RELATION TO OXIDATION OF LIPID AND MYOGLOBIN

Lipid- and oxy-free radical generation has been implicated in oxidativ e processes which occur during meat maturation but the importance of t he antioxidant enzyme (AOE) activity in these processes is not known. It was shown that metmyoglobin (MetMb) % and lipofuscin content were h igher in colour-unstable muscles such as psoas major (PM) and diaphrag ma (D) compared to longissimus lumborum (LL) and tensor fasciae latae (TFL). Although superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity is higher post mor tem in PM and D muscles than in LL and TFL muscles, catalase and gluta thione peroxidase (GPx) activities sr ere higher only in D muscle. The higher AOE activity in colour-unstable muscles such as PM and D was n ot sufficient to prevent increased formation of MetMb and lipofuscin i n these muscles compared to LL and TFL muscles. Copyright (C) 1996 Els elvier Science Ltd