Effect of electrical stimulation on red meat Neu5Gc content reduction: a combined experimental and DFT study

The hazardous substance Neu5Gc (N-glycolylneuraminic acid), which is rich in red meat, is related to chronic inflammation but is hard to eliminate. Here, electrical stimulation, as a food-friendly nonthermal processing technology, was applied to red meat samples to reduce the Neu5Gc content. To explore the Neu5Gc structure changes during this process, electronic structure parameters were evaluated, and AIM (atom in molecules) theory and DFT (density function theory) calculations were further used. The results showed that the content of Nue5Gc in red meat can be reduced by (74.24 ± 0.69)% at 120 V for 50 s, with little impact on the meat texture and color. Theoretical calculations indicated that the Neu5Gc molecule becomes very unstable under electrical stimulation by increasing the OH bond length, reactive activity, strength of intermolecular dipole forces and total energy through reducing the values of bond dissociation energy and strength of intramolecular hydrogen bonds. Overall, this research provides an economical method to effectively control red meat safety.