Antioxidative capacity of beef – effects of fodder type and storage

Dirk Dannenberger, Eva-Maria Hubbermann, Lilana Mahecha, Sandra Knöller, Karin Nuernberg, Gerd Nuernberg, Dummerstorf, Kiel and Medellin

A feeding experiment was carried out with German Simmental bulls, in which the antioxidative status of bovine muscle was varied by feeding different levels of exogenous n-3 or n-6 multiply unsaturated fatty acids in the fodder. The present article describes methods to determine the antioxidative status and lipid peroxidation, and the results of studies with different fodders and storage.

The fodder was composed of a mixture of maize silage/grass silage and concentrate including soybean. The results were based on measurements with the TEAC and FRAP assays in aqueous and solvent extracts. No effect of the fodder type could be established. The increase in the concentration of n-3 fatty acids from exogenous administration had no significant effect on the antioxidative status of the beef with the assays used. Nevertheless, the values in both assays significantly increased with time, indicating that antioxidants with a longer reaction time (uric acid, α-tocopherol and glutathione) may be predominant.

The results show that the antioxidants in aqueous extracts were more active than in solvent extracts. This applied to both the TEAC and the FRAP assays. Storage of the meat significantly decreased the antioxidative status in the FRAP assay. On the other hand, the antioxidative capacity significantly increased in the TEAC assay.

Keywords: beef, feeding effect, antioxidants, polyunsaturated fatty acids

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