Changes in Antioxidative Capacity of Saithe (Pollachius virens) and Shrimp (Pandalus borealis) during in Vitro Digestion

The health effects of seafood have primarily been linked to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 20:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n-3). These omega-3 fatty acids are highly susceptible to oxidation. Peptides exhibiting antioxidative capacity (AOC) are encrypted in seafood muscle proteins. Such components may protect the fatty acids during digestion and uptake, as well as exhibit antioxidative effects in general. The oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay and the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay were used to study the changes in AOC of fish and shrimp muscle and their aqueous fractions, referred to as press juice (PJ), during a simulated in vitro gastrointestinal (GI) digestion. Blueberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), well-known for its AOC, was included for comparison. During digestion the AOC increased in all samples. After digestion the AOC of muscle of both autumn saithe and shrimp were higher (130-165 mu mol/g), and winter saithe comparable (110 mu mol/g) to digested blueberry when measured by ORAC. The AOC of PJ was low in general (5-20 mu mol/g). When measured by FRAP, blueberry exhibited ten times the AOC of seafood muscle. Antioxidative compounds in seafood increased significantly during digestion, and may offer protection of other beneficial food components such as EPA and DHA.