Sources of variability in the analysis of meat nutrient coenzyme Q10 for food composition databases

Coenzyme Q₁₀ (CoQ₁₀) or ubiquinone (2,3-dimethoxy-5-methyl-6-multiprenyl-1,4-benzoquinone) is an endogenous hydroxybenzoquinone liposoluble compound which plays important physiological roles that makes it to be considered as a bioactive compound that may be used for clinical practices and as food supplement. The purpose of this work was to analyse CoQ₁₀ in three muscles with different oxidative patterns and determine its variability in different animal species (pork, beef, lamb and rabbit). The content of CoQ₁₀ ranged from 4.3 to 30.9 μg/g meat with the highest content in those muscles with oxidative pattern. So, more specific data on type of meat cut and proportion of muscles must be given for this nutrient when reporting its content in food composition databases.