4-methylcatechol inhibits protein oxidation in meat but not disulfide formation

The interaction between phenolic compounds and protein thiols was investigated in minced beef with or without 500 ppm 4-methylcatechol (4-MC) that had been stored under oxygen or argon for 7 days (4 °C). Myofibrillar protein isolates were extracted, and the oxidative stability evaluated by the protein radical intensity measured by ESR spectroscopy was found to be improved by 4-MC as well as by storage without oxygen. Significant loss of thiols was found in samples stored under oxygen compared to argon, whereas an additional loss was found in samples with added 4-MC stored under oxygen. In beef with added 4-MC, LC-MS analysis showed formation of thiol-quinone adducts, which may explain the observed additional loss of thiols. Although storage without oxygen inhibited protein cross-link formation as evaluated by SDS-PAGE, both in presence and in the absence of 4-MC, no inhibitory effect of 4-MC was found on the formation of protein disulfide cross-links in beef stored under oxygen.