Phospholipids comprise the main constituent of membranes, and
are thus one of the chemical foundations of life. They are also important in
nutrition and as flavor precursors. Phospholipids are formed from one molecule of glycerol, one molecule of a phosphorylated alcohol, and two molecules of a characteristic fatty acid. They have a high hydrolyzable capability due to
their molecular structure and are prone to oxidation due to the high
unsaturated fatty acid content in the fatty acid component.
Phospholipids and triacylglycerol are the major substrate of
lipid oxidation. The degree of phospholipid hydrolyzation varies with animal
species and muscle type and affects the storability of meat and cooking methods.
The high oxidation activity of phospholipids is due to the component long-chainpolyunsaturated fatty acids, which are easily oxidized. In addition, as
membrane components, phospholipids are in close contact with lipid oxidation
catalysts in the cytoplasm.
No comments:
Post a Comment