Twelve treatment combinations including three fat levels, two internal endpoint temperatures, and two storage periods for ground beef patties were studied. Quality and sensory attributes as well as cholesterol content were evaluated. As fat level increased in raw patties, cholesterol content, drip and total cook loss, fat and cholesterol content of cook drip increased whereas red color intensity and evaporative losses decreased. Cholesterol content, evaporative and total losses, and beefflavor intensity increased with higher internal endpoint temperature. Red color intensity of raw patties and cholesterol content of raw and cooked patties decreased with storage. No differences in cholesterol content could be attributed to fat content of raw product; therefore,

Six treatment combinations for determination of cholesterol and selected quality attributes of pork tenderloin steaks were studied with three oven types (conventional, convection and microwave) and two internal endpoint temperatures (7 1 "C and 77°C). In general, pork tenderloin steaks heated in the microwave oven had lower evaporative loss and higher drip loss. Cholesterol (wet weight basis) of the pork steaks was not affected by oven type; however, heating to the higher internal endpoint temperature (77°C) increased (concentrated) the cholesterol. On a dry weight basis, microwave-heated steaks contained more cholesterol when compared to conventional and convection-heated samples.

Six treatment combinations for evaluation of quality characteristics, sodium, and cholesterol content of turkey breast roasts were studied: three oven types (conventional, convection, and microwave) and two internal endpoint heating temperatures (77 C and 82 C). The microwave oven was the most energy efficient, and the conventional oven was the least efficient. Overall, drip loss was highest in the microwave oven, and heating to 82 C increased total cooking loss. Cook drip from the microwave oven contained less fat but the same amount of cholesterol as cook drip from the other two oven types. Instron shear values were not affected by oven type or internal endpoint temperature. Generally, when comparing raw to cooked samples, heating increased (concentrated) the cholesterol content and decreased the sodium content of the turkey. Cholesterol content of the heated roasts was not affected by type of oven; however, heating to the higher internal endpoint temperature increased (concentrated) the cholesterol. Sodium content was not affected by oven type or internal endpoint heating temperature. Cholesterol and sodium retentions of the roasts after heating were 96 and 64%, respectively, when averaged over the three oven types.