Exploring mitochondrial evaluation techniques applied to meat quality

• Grant number: 24/05881-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Start date: September 02, 2024
• End date: March 01, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Animal Production
• Principal Investigator: Nara Regina Brandão Cônsolo
• Grantee: Vinicius Laerte Silva Herreira
• Supervisor: Ranjith Ramanathan
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos (FZEA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Pirassununga , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Oklahoma State University, United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 22/16074-2 - Metabotype characterization of Nellore calves at birth and weaning progeny of bulls with genetic variation for meat tenderness, BP.MS

Abstract

The quality of meat encompasses a series of characteristics that, when combined, provide a positive sensory experience to the consumer, increasing the likelihood of purchasing this product. The color of the meat is intrinsically linked to apparent freshness: shades of cherry red indicate freshness, while darker and brownish colors suggest older or near-spoiling meat. Tenderness is a crucial attribute, strongly related to sensory perception. When combined with good marbling and adequate water retention, it results in a highly appreciated juiciness characteristic, providing the sought-after sensation of "melting in the mouth" for consumers. Due to the growing demand from the consumer market for a higher quality product, there is a growing interest within the scientific community in exploring the molecular mechanisms that affect meat quality, in order to control and/or predict them, adding value to the product and improving acceptability and satisfaction among the most demanding market niches. It is known that mitochondria play a fundamental role in muscle contraction and activity; however, more recently, some research reports that mitochondria also play a key role in the transformation of muscle into meat and consequently affect quality parameters. In terms of color characteristics, mitochondria can influence in two ways through oxygen metabolism. One way is by reducing the partial pressure of oxygen, which decreases oxygen capture by deoxymyoglobin, resulting in brownish hues in the meat. The second way occurs through the interaction between oxymyoglobin and mitochondria, promoting oxygen transfer to the mitochondria. Moreover, studies using isolated mitochondria provide crucial information about color stability, pH effects, and lighting conditions. In addition to color, tenderness can also be influenced by mitochondrial activity in muscle, with mitochondria contributing to meat tenderness in two ways: first, by sequestering large amounts of calcium, thereby reducing the availability of calcium for the calpain system, which relies on this element; second, by positively influencing tenderness through the activation of apoptotic caspase. Therefore, understanding and monitoring mitochondrial function can be essential for better comprehension and ensuring the quality of meat products, contributing to a more satisfactory food industry for consumers. The main objective is to enhance knowledge in mitochondrial analyses related to meat quality, with the aim of enriching the development of their academic formation and contributing to their research field in Brazil.