Evolution of oxidised peptides during the processing of 9 months Spanish dry-cured ham

Sensory and nutritional properties of dry-cured ham can be negatively affected due to oxidative modifications of muscle proteins during its processing. In this study, a peptidomic approach has been used in order to study the evolution of oxidised peptides generated throughout the dry-curing process (0, 2, 3.5, 5, 6.5 and 9 months), focusing on those derived from major myofibrillar proteins. A total of 67 peptides showing methionine, proline, and tryptophan oxidations were identified in common in all samples by nano liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry for their relative quantification using a label-free methodology, showing the hydrolysis of some of the peptides during the process. So, the peptidomics strategy used in this work has resulted to be very useful as a complementary tool to the methods currently used to study protein oxidation, allowing a better understanding of the oxidation at peptide level and the influence of ham processing conditions.
Grant AGL2014-57367-R from the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness and FEDER funds are acknowledged. Juan de la Cierva de Incorporación postdoctoral contract to LM is also acknowledged. The peptidomic analysis was performed in the proteomics facility of SCSIE University of Valencia that belongs to ProteoRed, PRB2-ISCIII (PT13/0001-ISCIII-SGEFI/FEDER).