Use of Red Wine Polyphenols as a Natural Preservative in Health-Promoting Omega-3 Fatty Acids-Enriched Lamb Patties.

Meat consumption has been related to a higher risk of heart disease due to its saturated fat content. As a consequence, there has been a growth in research on how to increase unsaturated fat content in meat. However, a high content of unsaturated fat favours the development of oxidative processes. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a red wine extract (RWE) rich in polyphenols (50, 100, and 200 mg gallic acid equivalents/kg meat) as a natural antioxidant in lamb meat patties enriched with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) (100 mg n-3 PUFA/100 g meat), compared to using -tocopherol (TOC) (100 mg/kg meat). Adding RWE delayed metmyoglobin formation, lipid oxidation and loss of n-3 PUFA relative to controls, while TOC had no effect on preventing meat oxidation. Lamb odour was lower (p < 0.01) and odd odour higher (p < 0.001) in patties at the highest dose of RWE, compared to controls, but the overall liking score was not affected. The results suggest that RWE could be used as a natural antioxidant in the meat industry, even when n-3 PUFA content is high.

Effect of dietary supplementation with red wine extract or vitamin E, in combination with linseed and fish oil, on lamb meat quality.

Thirty lambs were assigned to the following treatments: control diet (C) rich in omega-3 fatty acids; C plus 900ppm red wine extract (RWE), or C plus 300ppm vitamin E (VE). Oxidative stability and sensory properties of chops stored in MAP (70% O2/30% CO2) during 12days were evaluated. Chops from the VE group showed lower lipid oxidation (p<0.001) and protein carbonylation (p<0.05), stable omega-3 fatty acids proportions and overall liking sensory scores (p<0.05). Dietary RWE supplementation did not influence oxidative stability of chops, however levels of C20:5n-3 were greater (p<0.05) and n-6/n-3 ratio (p<0.01) was lower, relative to controls.

Effect of dietary supplementation with either red wine extract or vitamin E on the volatile profile of lamb meat fed with omega-3 sources.

The effect of dietary supplementation with either vitamin E (300 ppm) or a red wine extract rich in polyphenols (900 ppm) in an omega-3 enriched concentrate on the volatile fraction of lamb meat was assessed. The effect of refrigerated storage (0 and 6 days) under high-oxygen atmospheres (70% O(2)/30% CO(2)) was also studied. Extraction and analysis of the volatile compounds was carried out by headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and GC-MS, respectively. Vitamin E supplementation led to lower levels of lipo-oxidation compounds, such as 2-heptanone and 1-penten-3-ol. The red wine extract was less efficient against lipid oxidation than vitamin E but more efficient than the control (no added antioxidants). The levels of numerous lipid-derived compounds were found to be lower after 6 days of storage which could be due to further interactions with protein-related compounds.

Characterization of volatile constituents in commercial oak wood chips.

The volatile composition of the different oak wood pieces (chips of Quercus spp.) that can be found on the market to be used as alternatives to barrels for aging wines, as well as of chips of Quercus pyrenaica which are being introduced, was studied, evaluating the contents of volatile phenols, lactones, furanic compounds, pyranones, phenolic aldehydes, phenolic ketones, and others. In regard to the overall results, the volatile composition of these products varies widely and has not been clearly laid out according to either the oak species or the wood toasting intensity. Taking into account that the different characteristics of alternatives to barrel products are reflected in the wine treated with them and that an oenological profile based on these variables (origin and toasting level) cannot be defined, only an appropriate chemical analysis would reveal the quality of alternative-to-barrel products and allow us to attempt to foresee its effects on the chemical and organoleptic characteristics of the wines treated with them. On the other hand, the Q. pyrenaica alternative products are very similar to those of other species, with some aromatic particularities, such as their high levels of furanic compounds, eugenol, Furaneol, and cis-whiskylactone, and low levels of vanillin.