Influence of NaCl on lipid oxidation and endogenous pro-oxidants/antioxidants in chicken meat

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different content of sodium chloride (NaCl) on lipid oxidation of chicken breast meat and the endogenous pro-oxidants/antioxidants contributing to lipid oxidation. The results demonstrated that NaCl could promote lipid oxidation in chicken meat until NaCl content reached up to 4.5%. Generation of reactive oxygen species and H₂O₂ initiated by NaCl might be responsible for the increased lipid oxidation, and lipoxygenase activity was highly correlated with oxidative stability of meat. However, oxidation of lipid was not negatively correlated with superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase activity. The sensory evaluation by electronic nose showed an increase in saltiness, richness and umami taste and a decrease in bitterness with increasing NaCl content, but there was no significant change in these sensory ratings when the NaCl content exceeded 3.0%. The volatile compounds obtained by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) showed that NaCl increased the formation of most flavor components in chicken meat. This study could provide a reference for the control of lipid oxidation in meat and development of low salt meat products.