Chemical profiling of vegetable polyphenols reveals matrix-dependent inhibition of heterocyclic amine formation in charcoal-grilled pork.

Twelve commonly consumed vegetables were screened for heterocyclic amine (HCA) inhibition in charcoal-grilled pork. Ethanolic extracts were evaluated for antioxidant capacity, and polyphenol composition was profiled by UPLC-MS/MS. Principal component analysis identified sweet potato leaves, water spinach, and coriander as the top candidates. HCA inhibition was assessed under three systems: direct marination (1%), commercial barbecue sauce, and homemade barbecue sauce. Inhibition was matrix-dependent (42.85-92.74%), with coriander achieving 92.74% under direct marination and sweet potato leaves 76.78% in homemade sauce. Molecular docking predicted ellagic acid and chlorogenic acid binding near the myosin actin-binding cleft. These findings suggest that HCA mitigation is associated with polyphenol composition and sauce matrix chemistry rather than antioxidant capacity alone, while the docking results provide a testable hypothesis regarding possible polyphenol-myosin interactions.