Effect of carnosine on nitrosamine formation in gastric-simulated aqueous and lipid environments
- DOI
- Language of the publication
- English
- Date
- 2024-07-26
- Type
- Article
- Author(s)
- Li, Yi Yao
- Yaylayan, Varoujan
- Palin, Marie-France
- Ngapo, Tania M.
- Cliche, Simon
- Gagnon, Fleur
- Gariépy, Claude
- Publisher
- John Wiley & Sons Ltd. / Society of Chemical Industry
Abstract
Nitrite salts are frequently utilized as meat additives to improve the quality and safety of processed meat products. However, these salts are associated with the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines. Given its potential regulating effect on the formation of intermediate molecules, such as nitric oxide, it is hypothesized that carnosine, a meat constituent possessing anti-oxidant activity and other multiple health benefits, could dampen the formation of nitrosamines. The current study therefore assessed the effect of carnosine on nitrosamine formation in both a monophasic aqueous system, and a biphasic water-lipid system simulating a gastric environment. In the monophasic system, relatively high levels of carnosine were required to significantly reduce the formation of different species of nitrosamine compared with the control (no carnosine). While higher levels of some nitrosamines were generated in both phases of the biphasic system, low carnosine concentrations significantly suppressed nitrosamine formation in the aqueous phase, and in the lipid phase, intermediate levels of carnosine were required. At higher carnosine levels, further reduction in nitrosamines was observed in the lipid phase. This study confirms the capacity of carnosine to inhibit nitrosamine formation in aqueous and lipid environments and suggests the potential of dietary carnosine to lower the risks associated with the consumption of processed meat products.
Plain language summary
Nitrite salts are frequently utilized as meat additives to improve the quality and safety of processed meat products. However, these salts are associated with the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines. We hypothesized that carnosine, a meat constituent possessing anti-oxidant activity and other multiple health benefits, could dampen the formation of nitrosamines during digestion in both a monophasic aqueous model and a biphasic water-lipid system simulating a gastric environment. Compared to the aqueous phase model, higher levels of some nitrosamines were generated in both phases of the biphasic system with low carnosine concentrations significantly suppressing nitrosamine formation in the aqueous phase. In the lipid phase, intermediate levels of carnosine were required and higher carnosine levels further reduced nitrosamines formation. This study confirms the capacity of carnosine to inhibit nitrosamine formation in aqueous and lipid environments and suggests the potential of dietary carnosine to lower the risks associated with the consumption of processed meat products.
Subject
- Science and technology
Keywords
- carnosine,
- secondary amine,
- nitrosamines,
- liquid environment,
- lipid environment
Rights
Pagination
9349-9355
Identifiers
- ISSN
-
1097-0010
- 0022-5142
Article
- Journal title
- Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture
- Journal volume
- 104
- Journal issue
- 15
- Accepted date
- 2024-06-28
- Submitted date
- 2024-1-03
Citation(s)
Li, Y. L., Yaylayan, V., Palin, M.-F., Ngapo, T. M., Cliche, S., Gagnon, F., & Gariépy, C. (2024). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 104(15), 9349-9355. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.13757