The current findings demonstrate that the application of phenolic
antioxidants at high concentrations impair meat emulsion properties
by reducing the formation of disulfides to destabilize the lipid droplets
in the discontinuous phase and reduce the cohesiveness of the protein
gel network. Especially at elevated concentrations (1500 ppm), green
tea phenolics were found to interact with the protein thiols to modify
MHC, which disrupted the meat emulsion leading to a reduced water
holding capacity and weakened gel strength. At low concentration of
phenolic compounds, oxidative stability of both lipids and proteins
was improved as evaluated by TBARS and thiol oxidation, respectively.
However, the findings indicate that the effects are highly dose
The current findings demonstrate that the application of phenolic
antioxidants at high concentrations impair meat emulsion properties
by reducing the formation of disulfides to destabilize the lipid droplets
in the discontinuous phase and reduce the cohesiveness of the protein
gel network. Especially at elevated concentrations (1500 ppm), green
tea phenolics were found to interact with the protein thiols to modify
MHC, which disrupted the meat emulsion leading to a reduced water
holding capacity and weakened gel strength. At low concentration of
phenolic compounds, oxidative stability of both lipids and proteins
was improved as evaluated by TBARS and thiol oxidation, respectively.
However, the findings indicate that the effects are highly dosedependent
and by choosing the correct concentration of green tea
extract both lipids and protein thiols will be preserved without
jeopardizing either the oxidative stability or the physico-chemical
properties of the meat proteins.