This study was conducted to analyze the impact
of dietary avocado on the oxidative stability of lipids and
proteins during pork processing. Loins from control (fed
basic diet) and treated pigs (fed on avocado-supplemented
diet) were roasted (102 C/20 min) and subsequently
packed in trays wrapped with oxygen-permeable films and
chilled at 4 C for 12 days. At each processing stage (raw,
cooked and cooked & chilled), pork samples from both
groups were analyzed for the concentration of TBARS, the
loss of tryptophan and free thiols, and the formation of
protein carbonyls, disulphide bonds and Schiff bases.
Processing led to a depletion of tryptophan and sulfurcontaining
amino acids and an increase of lipid and protein
oxidation products. Dietary avocado was not able to protect
against the oxidation of tryptophan and thiols but cooked &
chilled loins from treated pigs had significantly lower
concentration of lipid and protein carbonyls than control
counterparts. Likewise, dietary avocado alleviated the
formation of Schiff bases during cooking. These results
illustrate the benefits of dietary avocado on the oxidative
stability of processed pork loins.