Elucidating the coordination of mitochondrial maintenance, functional preservation and glycolytic metabolism in H2O2-induced beef color stability: an integrated proteomic and biochemical investigation

500 μmol/L H 2 O 2 significantly enhances beef color stability during postmortem aging. • Moderate H 2 O 2 improves antioxidant capacity and maintains mitochondrial ETC activities. • GFM1 and LDHB coordinate mitochondrial maintenance and glycolysis for color stability. This study investigated the dose-dependent effects of exogenous H 2 O 2 (300, 500, and 1000 μmol/L) on color stability, mitochondrial function, and proteomic profiles in postmortem beef. Among the concentrations tested, 500 μmol/L H 2 O 2 most effectively enhanced color stability, as reflected by increased redness and oxymyoglobin proportion and decreased metmyoglobin formation. This treatment also promoted antioxidant enzyme activities, attenuated pH decline, and maintained mitochondrial electron transport chain complex activities. Quantitative proteomic analysis revealed that these beneficial effects were orchestrated by coordinated upregulation of metabolic pathway and HIF-1 signaling proteins, with mitochondrial translation factor GFM1 and lactate dehydrogenase B (LDHB) emerging as central hubs in a protein-protein interaction network. These findings suggest a previously unrecognized adaptive mechanism coupling mitochondrial maintenance, functional preservation, and glycolytic flux regulation under oxidative stress.