Department of Veterinary Science, Laboratory of Environmental, Health and Animal Production, Institute of Veterinary Science and Agricultural Science, Batna University, 05000, Algeria
*Corresponding Author: Hafid Nadia, Department of Veterinary Science, Batna University, 05000, Algeria. Email: nadvet@yahoo.fr; nadia.hafid@univ-batna.dz
Online published on 16 November, 2019.
After slaughter, meat tissues lose their antioxidant defenses, and more complex oxidative processes are initiated to form COPs-oxygenated derivatives of cholesterol. The oxysterol content in meat and meat products depends on factors such as temperature, heating time, storage time, packing conditions, and illumination. The composition and content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and the age and the sex of the animal also influence the COP rate. The most common oxysterols present in meat and its products are 7-ketocholesterol, 20á-hydroxycholesterol, 25-hydroxycholesterol and á, â-epoxycholesterol. Oxysterols participate in a number of biological activities, such as cholesterol metabolism, the regulation of membrane fluidity and intracellular signaling pathways, by the activation of specific mediators, such as LXR, SREBPs and OSBP/ORP. However, their role in inflammatory, apoptotic, mutagenic, carcinogenic, and toxic mechanisms can elucidate their effect on human health.
Biological activities, Cholesterol, Human diseases, Oxysterols, Ruminant meat
