Enzymatic Reducing Pathways in Meat

Abstract

SUMMARY Methods for measuring reducing capacity of meats are described. These include changes in oxidation‐reduction potentials of ground meat and changes in oxygen tension of meat slurries, as well as reduction of metmyoglobin. Except for a small residual utilization of oxygen in meat slurries (ascribed to nonenzymatic oxidation), all reductive activity in meat can be stopped by inhibitors of DPNH oxidation via the electron transport chain. Added DPN accelerates all reductive activity. Metmyoglobin reduction does not occur until oxygen has snbstantially disappeared from the meat. Meat contains little or no snccinate. Added succinate greatly accelerates oxygen utilization, but affects metmyoglobin reduction only indirectly by establishing anaerobic conditions more rapidly. It is concluded that both oxygen utilization and metmyoglobin reduction in meat are normally mediated through DPN.