The antioxidant effectiveness of different hydroxycinnamic acids for inhibiting the formation of off-flavours associated to rancidity in minced frozen horse mackerel white muscle stored at 10 and 18 C was studied. The influence of lipid oxidation on protein aggregation, protein denaturation and water holding capacity was also determined. Caffeic acid, o-coumaric acid and ferulic acid were the antioxidants tested. The order of antioxidant effectiveness was caffeic acid > ferulic acid > o-coumaric acid accordingly with previous results obtained in chilled horse mackerel. A strong dependence of antioxidant effectiveness to the ratio lipid/antioxidant concentration was observed. There was no evidence to suggest that antioxidants reduce protein aggregation or water holding capacity changes. Protein aggregation was not accompanied by gross protein denaturation, as monitored by differential scanning calorimetry. No evidence was found for a link between extent of lipid oxidation and degree of protein aggregation or water holding capacity changes.

The financing of this work by the European Union and the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology is gratefully acknowledged.

8 páginas, 4 figuras, 2 tablas

Peer reviewed