Claude Gariépy, Ph.D.

Research Scientist

Over the years, my work on the relationship between muscle metabolism and meat quality has lead up to carnosine. This dipeptide, naturally synthesized by the muscle, can improve many aspects of meat quality, including its nutritional component which is now my main research focus. Carnosine and its derivatives are molecules exclusively found in meat, poultry and fish. Carnosine stands out from other functional molecules, irrespective of their source, due to its numerous and impressive health benefits. Scientific literature actually recognizes a therapeutic potential for carnosine with pathologies where oxidative stress is involved such as diabetes and its cardiovascular complications, neurological disorders and aging, to name a few. My actual work is aimed at determining the role of carnosine during in-vitro digestion of diets having different redox potentials and at optimizing the carnosine content in the muscle. I am also involved in the development of rapid and non invasive methods for the assessment of meat quality.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
3600 Casavant Boulevard West, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec

Current research and/or projects

On-going projects aim at improving the competitiveness of the meat industry and the health of the consumers by showing evidences for the health benefits of dietary carnosine and by developing appproaches for the optimization of muscle carnosine content

Research and/or project statements

Improve the natural synthesis of carnosine by the muscle

Study the nutritional advantages of carnosine as a muscle constituent

Measurements of the physicochemical quality parameters of meat by NMR

Key publications

  1. Palin, M.F., Lapointe, J., Gariépy, C., Beaudry, D., Kalbe, C. (2020). Characterisation of intracellular molecular mechanisms modulated by carnosine in porcine myoblasts under basal and oxidative stress conditions. PLoS ONE, [online] 15(9 September), http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0239496

    2020 - View publication details

  2. Palin, M.F., Gariépy, C., Beaudry, D., Lapointe, J. and Kalbe, C. (2019) Protective effects of carnosine on hydrogen peroxide–induced oxidative stress in myoblast cells derived from porcine skeletal muscle. 65th International Congress of Meat Science and Technology 2019 in Potsdam/Berlin, Germany 04– 09 August 2019. (Abstract and Poster)

    2019 - View publication details

  3. Soladoye, O.P., Prieto, N., Lopez-Campos, O., Aalhus, J.L., Uttaro, B., Roberts, J.C., Larsen, I., Shand, P., Gariépy, C., Juárez, M. (2018). Potential of near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in predicting pork belly softness. Meat Science, [online] 142 1-4. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2018.03.025

    2018 - View publication details

  4. Palin, M.F., Gariépy, C., Beaudry, D., Lapointe, J. and Kalbe, C. (2018) Carnosine prevents oxidative damage in porcine muscle cells. Canadian Meat Council's 98th Annual Conference, May 29-31, 2018, Montreal, Quebec.

    2018 - View publication details

  5. Gariépy, C. and Palin, M.F. (2018) Carnosine: The meat’s best-kept secret. Canadian Meat Council's 98th Annual Conference, May 29-31, 2018, Montreal, Quebec. (Invited presentation and abstract)

    2018 - View publication details

  6. Li, Y., Palin, M.F., Yaylayan, V., Sullivan, B., Fortin, F., Binnie, M.A., Young, M., Cliche, S. and Gariépy, C. (2018) Functional effects of carnosine during in vitro digestion of pork with different fat content and cooking conditions. Canadian Meat Council's 98th Annual Conference, May 29-31, 2018, Montreal, Quebec. (Abstract and poster)

    2018 - View publication details

  7. Facebook: Another tool to help ensure quality pork! M.F. Palin and C. Gariépy. Work on pig muscle carnosine that was posted on the Agriculture and Agri-Food Facebook page. May 4th 2018.

    2018 - View publication details

  8. Des chercheurs d’Agriculture et Agroalimentaire Canada découvrent une molécule qui améliore la qualité de la viande de porc/Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Researchers Find Pork Molecule Boosts Meat Quality. Palin, M.F. and Gariépy, C. April 18th 2018.

    http://www.agr.gc.ca/eng/science-and-innovation/research-centres-and-collections/ quebec/sherbrooke-research-and-development-centre/researchers-find-pork-molecule-boosts-meat-quality/?id=1523983629242

    2018 - View publication details

  9. Sullivan, B., Gariépy, G., Binnie, MS, Fortin, F., Goddard, H., Palin, M.F., Pomar, C. and Young, M. Increasing Canadian pork consumption, market share and competitiveness through enhanced nutritional values and overall quality with a functional molecule in pork meat. In Swine Innovation Porc 2017-2018 Final Report. pp. 50-51.

    2018 - View publication details

  10. Weekly Science Story: Une molécule du porc améliore les avantages nutritionnels/Pork Molecule Improves Nutritional Benefits. February 28th 2018. Claude Gariépy, Simon Cliche, Marie-France Palin, Joël D'Astous-Pagé, Danièle Beaudry, Steve Méthot.
    https://collab.agr.gc.ca/br-dg/stb-dgst/SitePages/Weekly%20Science%20Stories.aspx

    2018 - View publication details

  11. D'Astous-Pagé, J., Gariépy, C., Blouin, R., Cliche, S., Méthot, S., Sullivan, B., Fortin, F., Palin, M.F. (2017). Identification of single nucleotide polymorphisms in carnosine-related genes and effects of genotypes on pork meat quality attributes. Meat Science, [online] 134 54-60. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2017.07.019

    2017 - View publication details

  12. Marie-France Palin et. al. (2017). "Higher concentrations of the anti-aging carnosine in pork increase its nutritional value and quality", Presentation during the Open House event, Sherbrooke R & D Centre (AAFC, Sherbrooke) September 29-30, 2017.

    2017 - View publication details

  13. Soladoye, O.P., Shand, P., Dugan, M.E.R., Gariépy, C., Aalhus, J.L., Estévez, M., Juárez, M. (2017). Influence of cooking methods and storage time on lipid and protein oxidation and heterocyclic aromatic amines production in bacon. Food Research International, [online] 99 660-669. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2017.06.029

    2017 - View publication details

  14. Juárez, M., Dugan, M.E.R., López-Campos, Ó., Prieto, N., Uttaro, B., Gariépy, C., Aalhus, J.L. (2017). Relative contribution of breed, slaughter weight, sex, and diet to the fatty acid composition of differentiated pork, 97(3), 395-405. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/CJAS-2016-0103

    2017 - View publication details

  15. Soladoye, O.P., Uttaro, B., Zawadski, S., Dugan, M.E.R., Gariépy, C., Aalhus, J.L., Shand, P., Juárez, M. (2017). Compositional and dimensional factors influencing pork belly firmness. Meat Science, [online] 129 54-61. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2017.02.006

    2017 - View publication details

  16. Gariépy, C., Palin, M.F., Pomar, C., Goddard, E., Fortin, F., Sullivan, B., Binnie, M.A. and Young, M. (2017) Higher carnosine level in pork increases its health nutritional value and quality. Canadian Meat Council's 97th Annual Conference. Ottawa, June 5-7. Poster presentation and abstract.

    2017 - View publication details

  17. Agri-Réseau : Étude sur la teneur en carnosine du muscle long dorsal du porc et sur son lien avec les caractéristiques qualitatives de la viande et l’expression des gènes associés à la carnosine. https://www.agrireseau.net/porc/documents/95392?utm_source=secteur_porcin2017-06-09&utm_medium=courriel&utm_campaign=ABO

    2017 - View publication details

  18. D'Astous-Pagé, J., Gariépy, C., Blouin, R., Cliche, S., Sullivan, B., Fortin, F., Palin, M.F. (2017). Carnosine content in the porcine longissimus thoracis muscle and its association with meat quality attributes and carnosine-related gene expression. Meat Science, [online] 124 84-94. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2016.11.004

    2017 - View publication details

  19. Gariépy, C., Palin, M.F., Pomar, C. Goddard, E., Fortin, F., Sullivan, B., Binnie, M.A. Young, M. and Lahaie, L. (2017). Higher concentrations of the anti-aging carnosine in pork increase its nutritional value and quality. Banff Pork Seminars, January 10-12. Banff, Alberta. Poster presentation and abstract.

    2017 - View publication details

  20. Soladoye, O. P., Campos, Ó. L., Aalhus, J. L., Gariépy, C., Shand, P., & Juárez, M. (2016). Accuracy of dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in assessing carcass composition from different pig populations. Meat Science, 121, 310-316.

    2016 - View publication details

Contact

Research facility

Saint-Hyacinthe Research and Development Centre
3600 Casavant Boulevard West
Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 8E3
Canada

Expertise

Food›Agriculture

Language

English
French