Mechanisms involved in the inhibitory effects of free fatty acids on lipid peroxidation in turkey muscle

The pro-oxidant and anti-oxidant effects of free fatty acids (FFA) in meat remain ambiguous. To clarify the role of FFA in lipid oxidation of muscle food, the FFA was added into two systems (turkey mince and washed turkey muscle (WTM)) and lipid oxidation was investigated. A mixture of FFA inhibited lipid oxidation in both systems. The absorbance spectrum of oxyHb and metHb was determined in the presence of C18:1 and C18:2. Conversion to hemichrome spectra was observed and was particularly rapid when metHb was mixed with C18:2. C18:2 was also reacted with metHb followed by a chromatography step to remove unbound C18:2, and termed ‘modified Hb’. Electron spin resonance (ESR) spectra of the modified Hb was indicative of hemichrome formation. The modified Hb did not promote lipid oxidation in washed turkey muscle during storage. This suggested that hemichrome formation due to added FFA diminished the lipid oxidation capacity of Hb.