Mechanisms of radical formation in beef and chicken meat during high pressure processing evaluated by electron spin resonance detection and the addition of antioxidants

The generation of radicals during high pressure (HP) processing of beef loin and chicken breast was studied by spin trapping and electron spin resonance detection. The pressurization resulted in a higher level of spin adducts in the beef loin than in the chicken breast. It was shown that radicals were formed in the sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar fractions as well as in the non-soluble protein fraction due to the HP treatment, indicating that other radicals than iron-derived radicals were formed, and most likely protein-derived radicals. The addition of iron as well as the natural antioxidants caffeic acid, rosemary extract, and ascorbic acid resulted in an increased formation of radicals during the HP treatment, whereas addition of ethylendiamintetraacetic acid (EDTA) reduced the radical formation. This suggests that iron-species (protein-bound or free) catalyses the formation of radicals when meat systems are submitted to HP.