Inhibitory Effect of Vitamin C on Heterocyclic Amines and N-Nitrosamines in Smoked and Cooked Beef Sausage
ZHOU Yajun, MA Zhiyuan, MA Qingshu, LI Zongping, WANG Zuozhao
1. College of Food Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China; 2. Baishan Institute of Science and Technology, Baishan 134399, China; 3. National Drinking Water Product Quality Inspection and Testing Center, Baishan 134300, China
Abstract：This study explored the antioxidant capacity of different amounts of added vitamin C and the inhibitory effects on heterocyclic amines and N-nitrosamines in smoked and cooked beef sausage, and it also revealed the underlying molecular mechanism by using density functional theory. It was found that addition of vitamin C at 500 mg/kg scavenged 60.25% of hydroxyl radical, 89.25% of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, 77.31% of superoxide anion radical and 58.46% of 2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) cation radical, and reduced the contents of total heterocyclic amines and N-nitrosamines by 46% and 40%, respectively. Moreover, it had the most significant inhibitory effect on 9H-pyrido[3,4-b]indole and N-nitrosodimethylamine. Correlation analysis revealed highly significantly negative correlations between the hydroxyl radical scavenging effect and the total heterocyclic amine content, and between the DPPH radical scavenging effect and the total N-nitrosamine content (P < 0.01). Density functional theory calculations showed that the O3-H and O5-H sites of the dienol ring in the vitamin C molecule jointly dominated the radical scavenging process through hydrogen atom transfer and electron transfer-proton transfer mechanisms. In conclusion, vitamin C exhibits excellent antioxidant capacity and inhibitory effects on heterocyclic amines and N-nitrosamines in smoked and cooked beef sausage.
周亚军，马志远，马清书，李宗坪，王作昭. VC对牛肉熏煮香肠中杂环胺和N-亚硝胺的抑制作用[J]. 肉类研究, 2025, 39(10): 17-24.
ZHOU Yajun, MA Zhiyuan, MA Qingshu, LI Zongping, WANG Zuozhao. Inhibitory Effect of Vitamin C on Heterocyclic Amines and N-Nitrosamines in Smoked and Cooked Beef Sausage. Meat Research, 2025, 39(10): 17-24.
2025, Vol. 39 
