Carnosine and its homologs in foods.

Carnosine and its homologs (anserine, homocarnosine, balenine or ophidine), commonly present in skeletal muscle cells and other tissues, have been extensively studied because of their physiological effects, including antioxidant properties or buffering activity and their potential therapeutic applications, such as a possible role in antiaging and in detoxification of the body from free-radical species. This chapter will summarize, through the scientific literature, the researches about the occurrence of these imidazole dipeptides in food and their dietary intake for the prevention of human health and to safeguard the quality of the meat; the main sources of carnosine and its homologs will also be considered.