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The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective effect of S-ketamine (S-KET) against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) – induced liver damage and oxidative stress, as well as to elucidate the related underlying mechanisms. Blood was collected to measure biochemical parameters (alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin (TB) and γ-glutamyltransferase (γ-GT)) and the liver was harvested for histopathological analysis of enzymes related to the antioxidant response (malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX)). Liver cell apoptosis was evaluated using the TUNEL assay. In addition, the expression levels of apoptosis-related proteins and the nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) signaling pathway were detected by Western blot analysis to explore potential mechanisms. S-KET protected the liver from CCl4-induced damage. The changes to the liver biochemical parameters (increased ALT, AST, ALP, TB, and γ-GT) and oxidative stress-related indicators (increased MDA; depleted SOD, GSH, and GSH-PX) induced by CCl4 were inhibited by S-KET. S-Ket also inhibited CCl4-induced cell apoptosis, the changes in expression of related proteins, and blocked CCl4-induced liver injury and oxidative stress via activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway. S-KET effectively protected the liver by inhibition of CCl4-induced damage via upregulation the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway.

Objective: The objectives of this study were to investigate the direct antioxidative effect of 90 Kda heat shock protein (Hsp90) obtained from duck muscle.Methods: The interaction of Hsp90 with phospholipids and oxidized phospholipids was studied with surface plasmon resonance (SPR), and their further oxidation in the presence of Hsp90 was evaluated with thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) assay. The scavenging effect on the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2’-azinobis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) was measured, and the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy in combination with 5-tert-Butoxycarbonyl-5-methyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide and 2-phenyl-4,4,5,5,-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide (PTIO) was utilized to determine the abilities of Hsp90 in scavenging hydroxyl and PTIO radicals.Results: SPR showed Hsp90 could bind with both phospholipids and oxidized phospholipids, and prevent their further oxidation by the TBARS assay. The DPPH and ABTS scavenging activity increased with Hsp90 concentration, and could reach 27% and 20% respectively at the protein concentration of 50 μM. The EPR spectra demonstrated Hsp90 could directly scavenge ·OH and PTIO· radicals.Conclusion: This suggests that Hsp90, a natural antioxidant in meat, may play an important role in cellular defense against oxidative stress, and may have potential use in meat products.

Background Ammonium is an indispensable nutrient for crop growth, but anoxic conditions or inappropriate fertilizer usage result in the increase in ammonium content in soil. Excessive ammonium causes phytotoxicity. Thymol is a kind of natural phenolic compound with anti-microbial properties. However, little is known about the role of thymol in modulating plant physiology. Here we find the novel role of thymol in protecting rice from ammonium toxicity. Results Thymol remarkably rescued rice seedlings growth from ammonium stress, which may resulted from the attenuation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, oxidative injury, and cell death in both shoots and roots. Polyamine oxidase (PAO) metabolizes polyamines to produce ROS in plants in response to stress conditions. Thymol blocked ammonium-induced upregulation of a set of rice PAOs, which contributed to the decrease in ROS content. In rice seedlings upon ammonium stress, thymol downregulate the expression of ammonium transporters (AMT1;1 and AMT1;2); thymol upregulated the expression of calcineurin B-like interacting protein kinase 23 (CIPK23) and calcineurin B-like binding protein 1 (CBL1), two negative regulators of AMTs. This may help rice avoid ammonium overload in excessive ammonium environment. Correlation analysis indicated that PAOs, AMTs, and CBL1 were the targets of thymol in the detoxification of excessive ammonium. Conclusion Thymol facilitates rice tolerance against ammonium toxicity by decreasing PAO-derived ROS and modulating ammonium transporters. Such findings may be applicable in the modulation of nutrient acquisition during crop production. Graphical abstract

Objective: The objective was to evaluate the impact of different forms of iron including myoglobin, hemin, and ferric chloride on the quality of chicken breast meat. Methods: Chicken breast muscles were subjected to 1, 2, 3 mg/mL of FeCl3, myoglobin and hemin treatment respectively, and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde, meat color, tenderness, water holding capacity and morphology of meat was evaluated. Results: Hemin was found to produce more ROS and induce greater extent of lipid oxidation than myoglobin and ferric chloride. However, it showed that hemin could significantly increase the redness and decrease the lightness of the muscle. Hemin was also shown to be prominent in improving water holding capacity of meat, maintaining a relatively higher level of the immobilized water from low-field nuclear magnetic resonance measurements. Morphology observation by hematoxylin-eosin staining further confirmed the results that hemin preserved the integrity of the muscle. Conclusion: The results indicated that hemin may have economic benefit for the industry based on its advantage in improving water holding capacity and quality of meat.

The aim of this study was to optimize the protein hydrolysates from chicken liver with xylose under Maillard reaction (MR) conditions using response surface methodology. The correlation between the browning degree, grafting degree, and the antioxidant activities of the Maillard reaction products (MRPs) was investigated. The optimal reaction conditions were achieved with a reaction temperature of 138.78°C, an initial pH of 7.99, and a reaction time of 93.14 min. The grafting degree (41.98%) and browning degree (2.582) of chicken liver protein hydrolysate MRPs (CLPHM) were notably higher (P

Flavonoid and phenolic acid profile of chrysanthemum morifolium flower extract (CME) was analyzed by using ultra-performance liquid chromatography (Q-TOF-MS, Xevo G2-S; Milford, MA, USA, Waters) system in tandem with a quadruple time-of-flight mass spectrometer. The effect of CME on lipid and protein oxidation was investigated in goat patties during 9 days of refrigerated storage (4 ± 1 °C). Patties were prepared from freshly minced meat with the addition of 0.1% and 0.2% CME and compared with the butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) (0.01%) and control. High level of thiol and lower level of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and carbonyl content were observed in CME-treated samples compared to control during storage period. The incorporation of CME in patties reduced the pH and water activity values markedly, but no effect was found on color and sensory analyses. These results show that increased level of CME is more effective against lipid and protein oxidation and therefore can be used as a natural antioxidant in meat products without affecting product acceptability. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Chrysanthemum morifolium flower belongs to the family "Asteraceae" and is a novel natural antioxidant for meat processing industry. It possesses strong antioxidant activities having many phenolic compounds including gallocatechin, apigenin, rosmarinic acid, caffeic acid, rhamnetin, and quercetin, and can be used for development and production of functional food as a natural antioxidant agent.

The aim of the current research was to examine lipid oxidation in chicken meat heated to different temperatures followed by refrigerator storage and the factors contributing to lipid oxidation. It showed that lipid oxidation was significantly promoted when meat was heated up to 70°C and stored for 2 and 4 D as measured by thiobarbituric acid reactive substance. The monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids also decreased significantly (P < 0.05) with the increase of heating temperature. The liberation of nonheme iron and increase of hydroxyl radical were observed in heated chicken meat, and the activities of antioxidant enzymes was decreased considerably at higher temperatures. The changes of these prooxidants and antioxidants might constitute a possible mechanism for the stronger lipid oxidation in heated meat.

Chlorogenic acid (CA), an ester of caffeic acid, is a major phenolic compound in herbs. The antimicrobial activity of CA against Pseudomonas aeruginosa P1, a foodborne pathogen, was investigated in this study. To understand how CA injured target cells, the influence of CA on cell morphology was assessed. A sunken cell surface and detachment of outer membrane components in P. aeruginosa P1 were observed after being treated by CA. Following this, the intracellular membrane permeability and the content of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a main component of outer membrane, were determined. The release of intracellular protein and ATP from P. aeruginosa P1 indicated that CA increased intracellular membrane permeability and resulted in the leakage of intracellular materials. The uptake of propidium iodide, a compromised cell membrane nucleic acid stain, further demonstrated that CA acted on the intracellular membrane. CA resulted in the decrease of LPS contents of P. aeruginosa P1, which supported the detachment of outer membrane. CA also downregulated the expression of major genes in LPS biosynthesis, suggesting that CA may inhibit intracellular metabolism of P. aeruginosa P1 cells. Thus, CA increased the intracellular membrane permeability, induced the exfoliation of outer membrane, and disturbed the intracellular metabolism. Damage of intracellular and outer membranes as well as disruption of cell metabolism resulted in cell death eventually. The finding suggested that CA has the potential to be developed as a preservative to control P. aeruginosa-associated foodborne diseases.

A Chinese-style sausage was processed using pork as the raw material. During the whole process, 13-hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid (13-HODE), 9-hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid (9-HODE), 9,10-dihydroxyoctadecenoic acid (9,10-DHODE) and 9,10,13-trihydroxyoctadecenoic acid (9,10,13-THODE) kept increasing. All of them were found to be correlated negatively and significantly with lipoxygenases (LOX) activity, and positively and significantly with peroxide value (POV) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). The ratio of 13-HODE to 9-HODE decreased slowly during drying stage and stayed higher than 2 during the whole process, and it was found to be positively and significantly with LOX activity. The ratio of variation of 13-HODE to variation of 9-HODE in every sampling period (the ratio of Δ13-HODE to Δ9-HODE) decreased sharply from 2.75 in the stage of curing for 12 h to 1.37 in the stage drying from 24 d to 30 d. The changes of ratio of 13HODE to 9-HODE and ratio of Δ13-HODE to Δ9-HODE indicated LOX-catalyzed oxidation predominated in curing and early drying stages, and such predominance was taken over by non-enzymatic oxidation during late drying stage; LOX-catalyzed oxidation was the major contributor to lipids oxidation during the whole process of the Chinese-style sausage preparing.

The effect of different levels of allspice and perilla frutescens seed extract (ASE and PSE) on the formation of heterocyclic amines (HCAs) in pan-fried chicken meat patties and the bioactive components found in ASE and PSE that contribute to the mitigation of HCAs were investigated in this study. DPPH radical scavenging activity was evaluated and the results indicated that APSE (ASE + PSE) showed the highest capacity to scavenge free radicals, and the most effective inhibition of HCAs formation. Furthermore, Single and mixed phenolic compounds exhibited a positive effect in scavenging free radicals and mitigating HCAs. The radical scavenging activity and HCAs inhibition effect of single phenolic compounds were highly correlated, whereas mixed phenolic compounds exhibited poor correlation. PCA analysis indicated that phenolic compounds had the maximum inhibitory effect on IQ, followed by Norharman and harman and the minimal effect on PhIP and 7,8-DiMeIQx.

RATIONALE (E)-4-Hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE) is a reactive secondary product of lipid oxidation with biological significance. The analysis of HNE is a challenge due to its volatility and high activity. Developing sample preparation and analytical tools for the determination of free HNE is crucial for better understanding the actual level of free HNE in meat products. METHODS Liquid nitrogen freezing, subzero-temperature extraction and derivatization were employed for meat sample treatment. Liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization in negative ion mode was used for the determination of free HNE after isotope-coded derivatization. RESULTS High repeatability and good recoveries with a limit of quantification as low as 0.25 pmol/g were found. Nineteen out of 24 samples, including chilled/processed meat products and meat-based instant foods, were found to contain free HNE with a range of 0.014-1.160 nmol/g. CONCLUSIONS The proposed method showed satisfactory reliability, sensitivity and accuracy. We believe that such a sample preparation strategy will provide a powerful tool for better understanding the actual level of free HNE in meat products.

This study aimed to characterize and optimize the tenderization condition of duck breast meat by adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP), with the aid of response surface methodology (RSM). The results showed that the optimal conditions for the tenderization of duck breast meat were at the NaCl concentration of 3.99 g/100 g, AMP concentration of 13.83 mmol/L, temperature of 15.32°C, and marinating time of 8 h. Compared with control duck breast meat, AMP combined with NaCl treatment demonstrated significant effects on improvement of meat tenderness and decrease of cooking loss. Such effects might be ascribed to the combination of a series of biochemical reactions, e.g. increase of muscle pH, dissociation of actomyosin and inhibition of meat shrinkage. Therefore, the mixture of AMP and NaCl could be regarded as an effective tenderization agent for duck breast meat.

To make better use of chicken liver, a byproduct of meat processing with rich proteins, the influence of ultrasound pretreatment on the extent of Maillard reaction (MR) and the properties of MR products (MRPs) of chicken liver protein (CLP) and its hydrolysate (CLPH) were investigated. The extent of MR of sonicated CLPH (SCLPHMs) was significantly higher than that of the other two MRPs. The decreased fluorescence intensity (FI) of the SCLPHMs indicated adequate reaction of d-xylose with sonicated CLPH (SCLPH). The particle size of the three MRPs was significantly larger than that of CLP, CLPH, and SCLPH, respectively. Ultrasound treatment increased the utilization of amino acids and enriched the variety of volatile compounds in all groups. Furfural was the main heterocyclic compound in the MRPs. Therefore, ultrasound pretreatment and enzymolysis of chicken liver may be a foundation for high-value development in flavors for the food industry.

The study evaluated the antibacterial activity of chlorogenic acid (CA) against Salmonella Enteritidis S1, a foodborne pathogen in chilled fresh chicken. Its minimum inhibitory concentration for S. Enteritidis S1 was 2 mM. 1 MIC CA treatment reduced the viable count of S. Enteritidis S1 by 3 log cfu/g in chilled fresh chicken. Scanning electron microscopy examination indicated that CA induced the cell envelope damage of S. Enteritidis S1. Following this, 1-N-Phenylnaphthylamine assay and LPS content analysis indicated that CA induced the permeability of outer membrane (OM). Confocal laser scanning microscopy examination further demonstrated that CA acted on the inner membrane (IM). To support this, the release of intracellular protein and ATP after CA treatment was also observed. CA also suppressed the activities of malate dehydrogenase and succinate dehydrogenase, two main metabolic enzymes in TCA cycle and electron transport chain. Thus, damage of intracelluar and outer membranes as well as disruption of cell metabolism resulted in cell death eventually. The finding suggested that CA has the potential to be developed as a preservative to control S. Enteritidis associated foodborne diseases.

Background and aims Defective autophagy has been proposed as an important event in a growing number of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. However, the precise role of mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR)-dependent autophagy and its underlying regulatory mechanisms in the intestinal epithelium in response to inflammation and oxidative stress remain poorly understood. Methods The levels of p-mTOR, LC3B, p62 and autophagy in mice and LPS-treated cells were examined by immunoblotting, immunohistochemistry, confocal microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). We evaluated the expression of IL-1β, IL-8, TNF-α, MDA, SOD and T-AOC by quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and commercially available kits after silencing of mTOR and ATG5. In vivo modulation of mTOR and autophagy was achieved by using AZD8055, rapamycin and 3-methyladenine. Finally, to verify the involvement of TLR4 signalling and the NF-κB pathway in cells and active ulcerative colitis (UC) patients, immunofluorescence, qRT-PCR, immunoblotting and TEM were performed to determine TLR4 signalling relevance to autophagy and inflammation. Results The mTOR-dependent autophagic flux impairment in a murine model of colitis, human intestinal epithelial cells and active UC patients is probably regulated by TLR4-MyD88-MAPK signalling and the NF-κB pathway. Silencing mTOR remarkably attenuated, whereas inhibiting ATG5 aggravated, LPS-induced inflammation and oxidative injury. Pharmacological administration of mTOR inhibitors and autophagy stimulators markedly ameliorated experimental colitis and oxidative stress in vivo. Conclusions Our findings not only shed light on the regulatory mechanism of mTOR-dependent autophagy, but also provided potential therapeutic targets for intestinal inflammatory diseases such as refractory inflammatory bowel disease.

In this paper, a novel immunosensor was built for quantitative detection of heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) based on graphite-like carbon nitride nanosheets (g-C 3 N 4 NSs) hybridized with gold-F127 nanoparticles (g-C 3 N 4 -F127-Au NSs) modified electrode. The transmission electron microscope (TEM) was used to observe the structure and morphology of g-C 3 N 4 -F127-Au NSs. The successful preparation of g-C 3 N 4 -F127-Au NSs was characterized by UV–vis spectra, fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR) and Raman spectra. Meanwhile, the electrochemical properties were measured by linear sweep voltammetric (LSV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). Under the optimized conditions, the peak currents were linear with the concentration of HSP90 ranging from 3.5 μg/mL to 2.43 mg/mL. The linear regression equation was I (μA) = 10.31–10.05logc (R 2 = 0.9986, n = 9) with the detection limit of 2.67 μg/mL. Finally, the immunosensor exhibited good selectivity performance and provided a new approach for meat quality evaluation.

The aim of this study was to optimize and characterize Flavourzyme hydrolysis conditions for the preparation of antioxidant peptides from duck meat, using response surface methodology. The results indicated that optimal Flavourzyme hydrolysis conditions for preparation of antioxidant peptides from duck protein were a temperature of 50.19°C, pH 5.45, and a reaction time of 1.03 h. Compared to non-hydrolyzed duck meat, Flavourzyme hydrolysis significantly improved the hydroxyl-radical scavenging, DPPH radical-scavenging, ferrous ion-chelating, reducing, and ABTS radical cation-scavenging activities of duck meat. Therefore, Flavourzyme can be regarded as an effective hydrolytic enzyme for the preparation of antioxidant peptides from duck meat.

The agarose hydrogel has been increasingly used as a diffusive layer in diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) measurements. However its diffusive characteristics have not been examined in detail. In this study, the performance of agarose gel was tested in DGT measurements of eight cations (Fe(II), Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), Pb(II), and Cd(II)) and eight anions (P(V), As(V), Cr(VI), Mo(VI), Sb(V), Se(VI), V(V), and W(VI)). It was found that the thickness of agarose, a key parameter in the calculation of DGT measured concentration, remained unchanged after hydration followed by storage under the following conditions: pH 2–11, ionic strength 0–1.0 M, temperature 4–40 °C, and with the storage time extending to 300 d. Enrichment of cations and repelling of anions were observed in the gel under the ionic strengths of 3 ), respectively, which was attributed to the electrostatic interactions of these ions with the fixed negatively charged groups (mainly pyruvate) in the gel. The diffusion coefficients of cations and anions through the agarose gel (plus a PVDF filter membrane) were on average 1.10 ± 0.04 times of the reported diffusion coefficients through the agarose cross-linked polyacrylamide (APA) hydrogel, typically used in DGT technique. The working pH ranges for the agarose gel-assembled DGTs were 4–10 and 5–9 for anions and cations, respectively. The use of agarose gel, either individually or along with different filter membranes, affected the overall diffusion rates of cations and anions. The measured DGT concentrations of cations and anions in filtered natural freshwater and seawater were mostly in line with those measured directly. The results showed that the agarose gel can be used as one of the standard diffusive layers in DGT measurements for a wide range of inorganic and organic analytes.

9,10-Epoxyoctadec-12-enoic acid (Ltx) and 9,10-dihydroxy-12-octadecenoic acid (Ltxd), oxidation products of Linoleic acid, are of biological significance. In this paper, a method was developed for simultaneous determination of Ltx and Ltxd in cured meat products. The analytes were separated by high performance liquid chromatography and detected with tandem mass spectrometry. The method was of satisfactory performances with the quantification limits of 0.64 μg/g and 0.025 μg/g for Ltx and Ltxd, respectively. The method was employed to detect the analytes in cured meat products, and 21 out 26 samples were found to contain Ltx and Ltxd simultaneously, in ranges of 0.77–6.90 μg/g and 0.17–3.93 μg/g, respectively. The result also indicated there were isomers of Ltx and Ltxd in samples, and the final amount of Ltxds after ingestion might be much higher than those originally detected in cured meats. More attention should be paid to Ltxs and Ltxds in cured meat products.

Novel phosphatidylcholines containing PUFAs and phenolic acids were synthesized from egg phosphatidylcholine (PC), PUFAs (docosahexaenoic, arachidonic and linoleic acids) and phenolic acids (caffeic, ferulic and p-coumaric acids) as substrates. The structures of modified PCs were confirmed by spectral analysis and were evaluated for antioxidant activities. The modified PCs containing caffeic and ferulic acids exhibited excellent antioxidant activities compared with butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and α-tocopherol. The synthesized compounds were also evaluated for the oxidative stabilities in liposome and organic solvent. The modified PCs showed more oxidative stable compared with standard PUFA-PCs and PUFA-PCs + BHT. Results showed that the oxidative stability decreased with increasing degree of unsaturation in organic solvent whereas in liposomes, increased with increasing degree of unsaturation due to tight packed configuration. In this study, phenolic acids were found to render protections for PUFAs in modified PCs from oxidation. Modified PCs may have great potential for applications in food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.

Crude enzymes were extracted from beef, pork and chicken and were employed to hydrolyze 1-palmitoyl-2-linoleoyl-phosphatidylcholine (PLPC) and oxidized PLPC, i.e. hydroperoxide of PLPC (PLPC-OOH) and hydroxide of PLPC (PLPC-OH). HPLC-ELSD and ESI-MS were used to characterize and determinate hydrolytic products. After hydrolysis at 37 °C for 180 min, 26.8 ~ 27.4%, 21.6 ~ 22.8% and 17.8 ~ 19.0% of substrates were hydrolyzed by crude enzymes from beef, pork and chicken, respectively. Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) was the major contributor to hydrolysis, which accounted for 47.8 ~ 49.6%, 45.8 ~ 48.7% and 46.6 ~ 46.8% of hydrolysis of PLPC, PLPC-OOH and PLPC-OH, respectively. Crude enzymes demonstrated almost same specificities towards PLPC, PLPC-OOH and PLPC-OH. Under actions of crude enzymes, hydroperoxyoctadecadienoic acids (HpODE) and hydroxyoctadecadienoic acids (HODE) were yielded as hydrolytic products of PLPC-OOH and PLPC-OH, respectively. These finding would be helpful to better understand the fate of hydroperoxides of phospholipids and formation of HODE during meat products manufacturing.

The influence of low-frequency ultrasound on the structure, emulsifying and rheological properties of water-soluble protein from chicken liver (CLWP) was investigated. CLWP solutions (10%, w/v) were treated by ultrasound for 4 min at a frequency of 20 kHz (UCLWP, amplitude 50% at an output 100 W, 11.5 W/cm2). The secondary and tertiary structure and thermal denaturation properties were changed in UCLWP. However, SDS-PAGE showed no changes in the subunit compositions between UCLWP and CLWP. Surface hydrophobicity and sulfhydryl groups of UCLWP increased demonstrating partial unfolding of water-soluble proteins and reduced its intermolecular interactions by ultrasound effect. UCLWP showed the smaller and more uniform particles with high-density holes. Furthermore, emulsifying activity index and emulsion stability index of UCLWP had a significant improvement over that of CLWP. UCLWP had lower shear stress and motion resistance during the rheological evaluation. These modifications of the structure, emulsifying and rheological properties for UCLWP could expand the application of chicken liver protein and increase the added value of chicken liver by-products.

This study aimed to evaluate the inhibitory activity of phenyllactic acid (PLA) against the biofilm formation of Enterococcus faecalis and to explore its potential molecular mechanism. The MIC value of PLA that inhibited the growth of E. faecalis R612-Z1 in BHI broth was 5 mg/mL. PLAs at subinhibitory concentrations of 1.25 and 2.50 mg/mL were found to inhibit biofilm formation by a crystal violet staining assay. The cell swimming and swarming motilities of E. faecalis were reduced in the presence of PLA. An apparent decrease in the thickness of PLA-treated biofilms was observed through confocal laser scanning microscopy analysis. The exopolysaccharide production in E. faecalis biofilms was inhibited by EPS quantification assay and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). qRT-PCR analyses showed that PLA down-regulated the transcription of Ebp pili genes (ebpABC) and Epa polysaccharide genes (epaABE). PLA inhibited the biofilm formation by interfering with cell mobility and EPS production of E. faecalis. In addition, PLA at concentrations of 10.0 mg/mL can effectively control the bacterial cells in a three-day-old mature biofilm of E. faecalis grown on 24-well flat-bottom polystyrene plates and stainless-steel surfaces. Thus, PLA is potentially an effective agent to control E. faecalis biofilms.

Objective The aim was to investigate the influence of ultrasound and adenosine 5′-monophosphate (AMP) marination (UAMP) on tenderness and structure of myofibrillar proteins of beef. Methods Five groups, the untreated meat (Control), deionized water marination (DW), ultrasound followed by DW (UDW), AMP marination (AMP), and ultrasound followed by AMP (UAMP) were studied. Myofibrillar fragmentation, cooking loss, shear force, thermograms, histological observation of meats and myofibrillar proteins properties were investigated in these different treatments. Results The results showed that UAMP significantly increased myofibrillar fragmentation index from 152 (Control), 231 (AMP), and 307 (UDW) to 355 (p

Inosine monophosphate (IMP) is considered to be an important constituent in the formation and development of meat flavor. In this paper, a bi-enzyme biosensor system for determination of IMP was developed to evaluate the freshness and quality of stored muscles. More details of preparing for polypyrrole-Pluronic F127-gold nanoparticles (PPy-F127-Au NPs) and immobilizing bi-enzyme (peroxidase and 5′-nucleotidase) on PPy-F127-Au NPs modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) were presented. The electrochemical behaviors of the bi-enzyme biosensor were analyzed, and the concentration of IMP was determined based on the bi-enzyme biosensor response. The results of linear sweep voltammetric (LSV) and square wave voltammetry (SWV) indicated that the catalytic reaction was occurred favorably on the surface of the bi-enzyme biosensor, with a wide detection range (0.05–15 g/L) and a low detection limit of 3.85 ng/mL. The good anti-interference ability, stability and repeatability of this biosensor were also proved. The analytical results by the biosensor system did correlate well with those obtained by liquid chromatography.

A method was developed for simultaneous determination of 13-hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid (13-HODE), 9,10-dihydroxyoctadecenoic acid (9,10-DHODE), and 9,10,13-trihydroxyoctadecenoic acid (9,10,13-THODE) in cured meat products. The analytes, extracted with methanol and cleaned by solid phase extraction, were separated on an XBridge C18 column (150*4.6 mm, 5 μm) with a mobile phase consisting of 0.1 % formic acid in water and acetonitrile, followed by detection with an electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry in negative-ion mode. The proposed method produced satisfactory reliability, sensitivity, and accuracy. Recoveries of the three analytes within the spiking range of 0.5–40 μg/g were 80.0–97.8 %, and limits of quantification of 13-HODE, 9,10-DHODE, and 9,10,13-THODE were 0.4, 0.025, and 0.05 μg/g, respectively. The method was successfully employed to detect the three fatty acids with hydroxyl(s) in cured meat products. It was shown that all samples contained the three analytes simultaneously, with concentrations ranging 1.40–100.77 μg/g for 13-HODE, 0.13–1.82 μg/g for 9,10-DHODE, and 0.49–10.12 μg/g for 9,10,13-THODE, respectively. The analytical result also indicated there were isomers of analytes, and the real content of fatty acids with hydroxyl(s) from oxidation of LA might be much higher.

The objective of this study was to explore the combined effect of ultrasound (20 kHz ultrasound probe (12 mm diameter), an output power of 350 W for 5 min (on-time and off-time pulse durations of 2 s and 3 s, respectively)) with low concentration (0.2 M) sodium bicarbonate solution (USB) on chicken breast tenderness and its preliminary molecular mechanism. Therefore, myofibril fragmentation index (MFI), filtering residues, cooking loss, shear force, histology of meat as well as SDS-PAGE, circular dichroism (CD), synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetrv (DSC) of actomyosin were investigated and compared with untreated (Control), deionized water (DW), ultrasound in deionized water (UDW), 0.2 M sodium bicarbonate solution (SB), respectively. The results showed that USB can effectively increase MFI, and reduce filtering residues, cooking loss and shear force by compared with UDW or SB. Furthermore, myofibril was presented with the largest interfibrillary spaces and the highest degree of actomyosin dissociation in USB group. The increase in α-helix content and decrease in fluorescence intensity of tyrosine and tryptophan implied that USB caused the conformation change in actomyosin. Additionally, actomyosin in USB group became more sensitive to temperature. Therefore, the treatment of ultrasound combined with low concentration of sodium bicarbonate accelerated actomyosin degeneration was considered as a promising and efficient technique in meat processing, especially for the fitness enthusiasts.

During heat shock conditions, structural changes in cellular membranes may lead to cell death. Hsp90AA1 and other heat shock proteins involved in membranes are responsible for protecting membrane stabilization. However, the membrane binding mechanism of Hsp90AA1 remains largely uncharacterized. In this study, we showed Hsp90AA1 interacts with phospholipid membrane with high affinity. Using the depth-dependent fluorescence-quenching with brominated lipids, we found Hsp90AA1 penetrated 10.7 A into the hydrocarbon core of the lipid bilayer. Circular dichroism spectra studies showed Hsp90AA1 lost part of its α-helical structures upon interaction with phospholipid membrane. By assessing binding properties of the three Hsp90AA1 domains, we found Hsp90AA1 interacted into the lipid bilayer mainly toward its C-terminus domain (CTD). Using scanning electron microscopy, we examined the protection on host cell membrane by overexpressing Hsp90AA1. The results indicated Hsp90AA1 or Hsp90AA1-CTD expressing E. coli cells exhibited better membrane integrity compared to the control after thermal treatment. The following liposome leakage assay suggested the protection of Hsp90AA1 might due to its stabilization of the membrane lipid. Collectively, the present study demonstrates Hsp90AA1 embeds into the lipid bilayer through its C-terminal domain and the Hsp90AA1-lipid association potentially has a significant function in keeping membranes stabilization during stress conditions.

Based on single factor experiments, NaCl concentration, adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP) concentration and temperature were selected as independent variables for a three-level Box-Behnken experimental design, and the shear force and cooking loss were response values for regression analysis. According to the statistical models, it showed that all independent variables had significant effects on shear force and cooking loss, and optimal values were at the NaCl concentration of 4.15%, AMP concentration of 22.27 mmol/L and temperature of 16.70°C, which was determined with three-dimensional response surface diagrams and contour plots. Under this condition, the observed shear force and cooking loss were 0.625 kg and 8.07%, respectively, exhibiting a good agreement with their predicted values, showing the good applicability and feasibility of response surface methodology (RSM) for improving pork tenderness. Compared with control pig muscles, AMP combined with NaCl treatment demonstrated significant effects on improvement of meat tenderness and reduction of cooking loss. Therefore, AMP could be regarded as an effective tenderization agent for pork.

BACKGROUND Adenosine 5′-monophosphate (AMP) is often used in meat and poultry soups as a flavor enhancer (flavor modifier), or as food additives for specific nutritional purposes. Our previous research as well as evidence from others showed that actomyosin could be dissociated into myosin and actin by AMP in extracted muscle solution. However, there is no report available on the application of AMP to dissociate actomyosin and to improve meat tenderness. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of AMP on duck meat tenderness and other quality traits and to explore the mechanism of the action of AMP on meat tenderness. RESULTS Duck breast muscle was treated with 0, 10, 20, 30, 40 mmol L−1 AMP at 5 °C for 10 h and examined for shear force, microstructure, actomyosin dissociation, myofibril fragmentation index (MFI), pH, water content, cooking loss, CIE* color (L*, a*, b*), inosine monophosphate (IMP) and free amino acid (FAA) contents. Results showed that shear force, cooking loss, L* and b* of the muscles significantly decreased after AMP treatment (P 0.05), and muscle shrinkage in transverse and longitudinal directions were restrained after AMP treatment. CONCLUSION The results suggest that AMP could notably improve meat tenderness, and this effect was probably mainly through increasing muscle pH, promoting actomyosin dissociation and disrupting the Z-line; meanwhile, the conversion of AMP to IMP may contribute to the flavor of meat. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry

The effect of NaCl stress (0 to 8%, wt/vol) on the growth and tyramine production in two Enterococcus faecalis strains was examined during culture time. The growth of E. faecalis was inhibited by the increase in NaCl concentration, but tyramine production was unaffected. Tyramine accumulated rapidly during the logarithmic phase of the strains, and the final tyramine levels were approximately 800 μg/ml. Relative gene expression of four genes in the tyrosine decarboxylase locus, namely, tyrRS, tyrDC, tyrP, and nhaC, was evaluated at different incubation times. The results showed that NaCl stress could upregulate the expression of tyrDC and tyrP to improve the tyramine production of a single E. faecalis strain under certain conditions, and TyrS could act as a negative regulator on the genetic regulation of the tyramine cluster.

The development of advanced nanomaterials for the highly efficient electrical detection of biological species has attracted great attention. Here, novel polypyrrole-Pluronic F127 nanoparticles (PPy-F127 NPs) with conducting and biocompatibility properties were synthesized and used to construct a L-lactic acid biosensor that could be applied in biochemical assays. The PPy-F127 NPs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), elemental analysis and UV-vis spectroscopy. Lactate oxidase (LOx) structure variation on the PPy-F127 NPs was investigated by circular dichroism (CD). The cyclic voltammetric results indicated that LOx immobilized on the PPy-F127 NPs exhibited direct electron transfer reaction with a formal potential value (E(0)') of 0.154 V vs. SCE. Moreover, the biosensor had good electrocatalytic activity toward L-lactic acid with a wide linear range (0.015-37.5 mM) and a low detection limit of 0.0088 mM. The regression equation was I (μA) = 0.02353c (mM) + 1.4135 (R(2) = 0.9939). The L-lactic acid biosensor had a good anti-interference property towards uric acid (UA), ascorbic acid (AA), glucose and cysteine. The idea and method provide a promising platform for the rapid development of biosensors that can be used in the detection of biological species.

An electrochemical aptasensor was fabricated based on a polypyrrole–Au nanocomposite (PPy–Au NC) and myoglobin-binding aptamer (MBA). The PPy–Au NC was synthesized using a one-step green synthesis method and was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-vis spectroscopy and a diffuse reflectance spectrum. The studies revealed that the PPy–Au NC provided a mild micro-environment and large surface area for MBA immobilization and facilitated electron transfer. Glassy carbon electrodes (GCEs) surface modified with PPy–Au NC were grafted with MBA, which had excellent binding affinity and selectivity for myoglobin (Mb). The binding of Mb at the modified GCE surface greatly restrained the access of electrons for a redox probe of [Fe(CN)6]3−/4−. Moreover, the aptasensor could be used for the detection of Mb in biochemical assays, with a wide detection range (0.0001 to 0.15 g L−1) and a low detection limit of 30.9 ng mL−1. The aptasensor had a good anti-interference property towards hemin, glucose oxidase (GOx), cytochrome c and hemoglobin. The idea and method presented herein provide a new approach for the evaluation of the freshness and quality of stored meat.

Rosin was once widely used for removal of duck feathers in China and is still being used secretly in some poultry processing enterprises. Abietic acid (AA) and dehydroabietic acid (DHAA) are the major compounds of rosin. In the present study, 90 duck samples were collected for investigation of AA and DHAA residues. Abietic acid and DHAA were simultaneously detected in 13 out 40 raw ducks, 8 out of 26 water-boiled salted ducks, and 7 out of 24 roasted ducks, respectively. In positive samples, averages of AA were significantly higher than those of DHAA in positive samples of the 3 types of ducks (P0.05). Averages of AA and DHAA in positive raw ducks were significantly higher than those in positive roasted ducks (P0.05). The results indicated that almost one-third of raw ducks were defeathered by means of rosin-containing defeathering agent, and cooking processes could reduce the AA and DHAA residues to some extent, but could not eliminate them completely.

Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) is an essential molecular chaperone with versatile functions in cell homeostatic control under both normal and stress conditions. Hsp90 has been found to be expressed on the cell surface, but the mechanism of Hsp90 association to the membrane remains obscure. In this study, the direct interaction of Hsp90 and phospholipid vesicles was characterized, and the role of Hsp90 on membrane physical state was explored. Using surface plasmon resonance (SPR), we observed a strong interaction between Hsp90 and different compositions of lipid. Hsp90 had a preference to bind with more unsaturated phospholipid species and the affinity was higher with negatively charged lipids than zwitterionic lipids. Increasing the mole fraction of cholesterol in the phospholipid led to a decrease of binding affinity to Hsp90. Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy of Hsp90 in PC membranes showed more α-helix structure than in aqueous buffer. The differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and fluorescence polarization results showed Hsp90 could affect the transition temperature and fluidity of the bilayer. We postulate from these results that the association between Hsp90 and membranes may involve both electrostatic and hydrophobic force, and constitute a possible mechanism that modulates membrane lipid order during thermal fluctuations.

Heat shock proteins of 90kDa (Hsp90) are molecular chaperones essential for protein homeostasis. Besides chaperone activity, Hsp90 exhibits other cellular functions at membranes, yet how it interacts with membranes remains elusive. We report here that Hsp90B1 interacts with phospholipid membranes. We first cloned the full-length open reading frame of Hsp90B1 from Anas platyrhnchos (ApHsp90B1), and the gene was then heterologously expressed and purified. SPR analysis show the purified ApHsp90B1 interacts with phospholipid membranes with high affinity (KD 176±25nM), and the interaction occurs over a wide range of pH, which is especially distinct under acidic conditions. Tryptophan fluorescence and far-UV CD spectra studies find that the interaction of ApHsp90B1 with phospholipid membrane induces microenvironment changes of tryptophan residues and conformational change of some regions in ApHsp90B1, which might be the reason of its increased ATPase activity upon addition phospholipid vesicles. Importantly, the interaction of ApHsp90B1 with phospholipid vesicles significantly reduces lipolysis of the membrane phospholipid, suggesting that the interaction of Hsp90B1 with membrane could preserve membrane integrity. The present study therefore demonstrates for the first time that Hsp90B1 exhibits high affinity for phospholipid membrane and suggest Hsp90B1 play an important role in membrane-stabilizing via its interaction with membrane phospholipids.

The antioxidative role of Hsp90 purified from duck muscle on phospholipid was investigated in this study. Lipid oxidation was assessed by ferric thiocyanate method, and particle size, zeta potential measurements and transmission electron microscopy were employed to detect physical and chemical changes during oxidation of liposomes. Increase of the peroxidation products, decrease of the particle size and disruption of the spherical unity of the liposomes were detected when liposome was exposed to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) oxidation, and Hsp90 was shown to protect liposome against oxidation. To further test the protection of Hsp90 on cell membrane, the Hsp90 transformed E. coli cell model was built. The Hsp90-containing E. coli showed higher survival and better membrane integrity as compared to the control upon H2O2 exposure. It is expected that Hsp90 plays an important role in the prevention of phospholipids oxidation in meat and has potential use as a food antioxidant.

SlpB, a surface layer protein isolated from Lactobacillus crispatus, has the potential to enhance the antimicrobial activity of nisin. Previous research indicated that, when combined with nisin, SlpB acted synergistically to inhibit Staphylococcus saprophyticus growth, thus extending the shelf life of chicken meat. In order to understand how SlpB enhances the antibacterial activity of nisin, electron microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy, flow cytometry and transmembrane electrical potential analysis were used to study cell wall organization and cell membrane integrity. No remarkable bacteriolytic effects were observed, indicating that cell death could not be attributed to cell lysis, although SlpB caused dramatic modifications of cell wall, thereby altering cell shape. The combination of SlpB and nisin also induced the release of ATP or UV-absorbing materials, as well as sudden dissipation of the transmembrane electrical potential by compromising membrane integrity. Considering that SlpB led to structural disorganization of the cell wall, and nisin access is enhanced to form a stable pore, cell death is a predictable outcome. SlpB significantly enhanced the effect of nisin at half of the minimum inhibitory concentration, which resulted in cell death by destroying the cell wall and cell membrane, therefore providing a new, feasible approach in food preservation.

Phospholipid hydrolysis, as the main stage and cause of phopholipid degradation, is generally attributed to phospholipases. In this study, the changes of phospholipase A 2 (PLA 2 ) and C (PLC) activities, neutral lipid, free fatty acids and phospholipids in dry-cured duck leg muscles during processing, were examined. The composition of free fatty acids and neutral lipids increased significantly ( P 2 and PLC activity decreased in the final product, but retained 83.70% and 86.78% of their initial activities, respectively. The relative activities of both PLA 2 and PLC highly correlated with the decline of phospholipids and the increase of free fatty acids. High correlations were also obtained between the relative activities of PLC and the increase of neutral lipid ( P 2 and PLC contribute to the degradation of intramuscular phospholipids during the processing of dry-cured duck.

Abietic acid (AA) and dehydroabietic acid (DHAA) are major components of rosin, and both of them are well-recognized causes of skin allergy. Rosin was once widely used for removal of duck feathers in China. In the present study, an analytical method was developed for simultaneous determination of AA and DHAA in duck meats. AA and DHAA were extracted with acetonitrile and cleaned by solid-phase extraction, followed by chromatographic separation on C18 column with methanol/2 mM phosphoric acid (86/14, v/v) as mobile phase. AA was detected by photodiode array detection (PAD) at 240 nm, while DHAA was detected by fluorescence detection (FLD) with excitation and emission at 225 and 287 nm, respectively. Limits of quantification for AA and DHAA were 50 and 15 μg/kg, respectively. The method was applied to analysis of AA and DHAA residues in meats of rosin-defeathered ducks and commercial ducks. The results indicated that removal of duck feathers by means of rosin could lead to residues of AA and DHAA in duck skins, and 5 out of 32 commercial ducks were found to be contaminated by AA and DHAA, ranging from 1,556.1 to 9,638.7 μg/kg and 476.4 to 2,623.8 μg/kg, respectively. The proposed method could be used to identify those rosin-defeathered ducks and to monitor the illegal use of rosin in duck processing.

The potential to produce biogenic amines was investigated with 15 Lactococcus lactis and 15 Enterococcus faecalis strains isolated from water-boiled salted duck. The production of biogenic amines from the isolated strains grown in de Man Rogosa Sharpe broth containing precursor amino acids was determined by thin-layer chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography. None of the L. lactis strains produced any biogenic amines, whereas 12 strains of E. faecalis produced tyramine and b -phenylethylamine. PCR assays were used to detect the presence of tyrosine decarboxylase genes in all of the isolated strains. Only the 12 biogenic amine-producing Enterococcus strains had a 924-bp fragment characteristic for the tyrosine decarboxylase gene. The comparison of the amplified partial tyrDC gene sequences of the 12 positive Enterococcus strains revealed 99% similarity within the same species. The tyramine production of the sterilized water-boiled salted duck inoculated with E. faecalis R612Z1 increased significantly during storage. This study reveals that the isolated E. faecalis strains can produce tyramine and β-phenylethylamine in the medium; however, they can only produce tyramine in water-boiled salted duck.

This study evaluated the antibacterial effect of the combination of e-polylysine (e-PL) and nisin against Enterococcus faecalis strains. The combination of e-PL and nisin showed synergistic antibacterial activity against three Enterococcus strains. Scanning electron microscopy and a membrane permeability assay revealed that the combined treatment with e-PL and nisin synergistically damaged the cell morphology of E. faecalis strain R612Z1 cells. Both e-PL and nisin can dissipate the transmembrane electric potential of E. faecalis R612Z1 cells, but these peptides did not affect the transmembrane pH gradient. The combination of e-PL and nisin can produce a high reactive oxygen species level in E. faecalis R612Z1 cells. The results indicated that the uptake of e-PL into cells was promoted through nisin and that the combination of e-PL and nisin could produce a high reactive oxygen species level in E. faecalis R612Z1 cells, leading to cell growth inhibition.

Topical microbicides are potentially an alternative method to vaccines for reducing the spread of herpes simplex virus (HSV). We have previously shown (S. Liu et al., Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1723:270–281, 2005) that the catechin (−)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) inactivates HSV at neutral pH; however, to function in the female genital tract EGCG must also be effective at acidic pH. EGCG inactivated HSV-1 and HSV-2 at pH 8.0 by 3 log 10 to 4 log 10 but was ineffective at pH 5.7. The EGCG digallate dimers theasinensin A, P2, and theaflavin-3,3′-digallate (TF-3) inactivated both viruses by 3 log 10 to 4 log 10 at pH 5.7 and as much as 5 log 10 at pH 8.0. TF-3 inactivated HSV-1 and HSV-2 by 4 to 5 log 10 in the pH range of 4.0 to 5.7. Dimers with one gallate moiety had antiviral activity intermediate between the activities of EGCG and digallate dimers. Confocal and electron microscopy showed that theasinensin A did not damage Vero cells. All EGCG dimers inactivated enveloped viruses with class I, class II, and class III (HSV-1, HSV-2) fusion proteins more effectively than did monomeric EGCG. EGCG had no activity against the nonenveloped viruses tested, but TF-3 reduced the titer of 4 of 5 nonenveloped viruses by ≅2 to 3.5 log 10 . Results also showed that HSV-1 glycoprotein B (gB) was aggregated more rapidly by theasinensin A than EGCG, which, when taken together with the nonenveloped virus data, suggests that dimers may inhibit the function of viral proteins required for infectivity. Digallate dimers of EGCG appear to have excellent potential as microbicidal agents against HSV at acidic and neutral pHs.

The spoilage microbiota in water-boiled salted duck during storage at 4 degrees C was determined using culture-dependent and independent methods. Analysis of the denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) patterns of PCR amplicons targeting the V3 region of the 16S rDNA and sequencing of the bands allowed profiling of the microbiota present in the duck. Community DNA extracts were prepared directly from water-boiled salted duck and from culturable bacterial fractions harvested from both MRS and PCA media. The spoilage bacteria mainly consisted of Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Macrococcus caseolyticus, Weissella, Halomonas sp. or Cobetia sp., and Exiguobacterium sp. based on sequencing and homology search of the DGGE bands. It appeared that both the bacterial counts and diversity increased during storage time. By plating method, bacterial counts in MRS agar increased from 10(4) to 10(8) CFU/g from day 1 to 10, while total bacterial counts in PCA agar reached 10(9) CFU/g after 10 d. Total of 14 strains isolated from PCA and MRS agar were identified as M. caseolyticus (2), S. saprophyticus (7), S. sciuri (1), W. paramesenteroides (2), and W. confusa (2) by 16S rDNA sequencing. The identification of the spoilage-related microbiota is helpful to better understand the bacteria ecology in water-boiled salted duck and may lead to the discovery of appropriate preservation strategies.

Water-cooked salted ducks were tray-packaged and stored under refrigeration (4±1°C) in order to evaluate the quality changes during storage. pH, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), sensory and microbiological analysis were determined at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9 and 10 days of storage. pH value and TVB-N (mg N/100 g) varied from 6.47±0.16 to 6.69±0.10 and from 5.90±0.93 to 13.42±2.46, respectively. Sensory results indicated that ducks were unacceptable at the 10th day of storage. The predominant spoilage bacteria at the end of the shelf-life were Brochothrix thermosphacta, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and minor components were Enterobacteriaceae, members of Micrococci, yeasts and moulds. Pseudomonads were also detected. Both total bacteria and the various spoilage ones, overall, increased from the initial sampling to the final day.

Composition of intramuscular lipids, phospholipid classes and phospholipid molecular species in traditional Chinese duck meat products was investigated. Free fatty acids and phospholipids were identified and quantified by gas and high performance liquid chromatography, and phospholipid molecular species were determined by mass spectrometry. The results showed that raw duck meat had high quantities of phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine. The percentages of phospholipid classes decreased during three kinds of processing of duck meat products. A selective degradation of phospholipid molecular species with polyunsaturated fatty acids was found in dry-cured duck, but was not found in roasted and water-boiled duck products.

Composition of intramuscular phospholipids and free fatty acids in 3 kinds of traditional Chinese duck meat products (dry-cured duck, roasted duck, and water-boiled salted duck) was investigated. Phospholipids were identified and quantified by HPLC combined with ultraviolet and evaporative light scattering detectors. The types and quantities of free fatty acids and fatty acids derived from phospholipids were analyzed by capillary gas chromatography. The results showed that raw duck meat had high quantities of phosphatidyl-ethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine (28.1 and 64.7% of total phospholipids, respectively), which contained high percentages of polyunsaturated fatty acids. The percentages of total phospholipids, phosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidylcholine decreased during processing, with a concomitant increase in quantities of free fatty acids. A selective degradation of fatty acids distributions of phospholipids was found through the dry-cured duck processing, but was not found during the roasted and water-boiled duck processing.

In this study, intramuscular phospholipid classes and molecular species in Gaoyou duck meat were determined. Classes of phospholipids were identified and quantified by normal phase HPLC combined with UV and evaporative light scattering detectors (ELSD). The main phospholipid classes (phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine) were prepared on a semi-preparative silica gel column by HPLC. Reverse phase HPLC was coupled in parallel with both an ELSD and a mass spectrometry in order to characterise molecular species of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). The results showed that Gaoyou duck meat had high quantities of PC and PE (64.66% and 28.10% of total phospholipids, respectively). Arachidonic acid was mainly present in PE and formed molecular species containing a saturated fatty acid, such as stearic or myristic acid; however, oleic acid together with palmitic or stearic acid formed the main molecular species in PC. The content of the molecular species with polyunsaturated fatty acids in PE accounted for 98.33%, while that in PC only 46.20%.

In this study, changes of intramuscular phospholipids and free fatty acids were tracked during the processing of Nanjing dry-cured duck. Phospholipids were identified and quantified by high performance liquid chromatography combined with UV and evaporative light scattering detectors. The types and quantities of free fatty acids and fatty acids derived from phospholipids were analyzed by capillary gas chromatography. The results showed that raw duck meat had high quantities of phosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidylcholine (37.95% and 54.07% of total phospholipids, respectively), which contained high percentages of polysaturated fatty acids. The percentages of total phospholipids, phosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidylcholine decreased during processing, with a concomitant increase in quantities of free fatty acids. The lipolysis of phospholipids, especially phosphatidylethanolamine is the main contributor to the increase of free fatty acids.