Impacts of kappa-selenocarrageenan on the muscle quality of pork: Novel insights into myofibrillar protein and lipid oxidation

Excessive oxidation of protein and lipids in pork leads to quality degradation and loss of nutrients. Kappa-selenocarrageenan (Se-K) can not only be used as a selenium enhancer but also as an antioxidant. To explore potential antioxidants that could be applied to pork, the effect of Se-K on myofibrillar protein (MP) and lipid oxidation was investigated. The results demonstrated that Se-K could scavenge hydroxyl radicals, DPPH radicals, and ABTS radicals. It was found that Se-K inhibited the formation of carbonyls and decreased the loss of sulfhydryl groups of MP. Se-K also inhibited cross-linking, aggregation, unfolding, and structural transformation of MP and repressed the increase in surface hydrophobicity. Additionally, Se-K enhanced the emulsibility, textural properties, and water-holding capacity of MP. We also found that Se-K delayed the increase in acid value, peroxide value, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances value. Furthermore, Se-K inhibited the degradation of unsaturated fatty acids, especially linoleic acid. Overall, Se-K was effective in inhibiting MP and lipid oxidation and could be a potential antioxidant for pork.