Effect of High Water-Holding Capacity on the Formation of Heterocyclic Amines in Fried Beefburgers

Abstract

Mutagenic/carcinogenic heterocyclic amines (HAs) are formed in the crust during the cooking of meat. The influence of cooking loss, time, and temperature on the formation of HAs was investigated in fried beefburgers. 2-Amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP), 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx), and 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (4,8-DiMeIQx) were identified in all samples. The amounts of PhIP, MeIQx, and 4,8-DiMeIQx increased with increasing cooking time, and this effect was significant for all three HAs. The pan temperature had a significant effect on the formation of PhIP and 4,8-DiMeIQx. The addition of NaCl/sodium tripolyphosphate to the beefburgers reduced the cooking loss and decreased the formation of PhIP, MeIQx, and 4,8-DiMeIQx. This decrease was significant for MeIQx and 4,8-DiMeIQx. The results clearly show that it is possible to modify cooking practices to minimize the formation of HAs.

Heterocyclic aromatic amines in domestically prepared chicken and fish from Singapore Chinese households

“…The retention (or addition) of water through marinating might either inhibit the formation of HAA while cooking, or may effectively dilute the HAA that form in a given mass of meat. Salt, which was included in about 41% of the marinades, was shown to increase water retention when mixed into ground beef before frying, thereby affecting HAA formation possibly by altering meat internal or surface temperatures or by affecting the transport of HAA precursors within the meat (Persson et al 2003). Whether or not salt in a marinade coating the chicken surface would have the same effect is an important question.…”

Potential sources of carcinogenic heterocyclic amines in Chinese mutton shashlik

“…The amounts of these were augmented largely by using the powder flavours. This has been explained as the result of increased transport of water-soluble precursors to the surface where the reactions occur (Jägerstad et al, 1998;Persson, Sjöholm, & Skog, 2003). This phenomenon has been noted with carbohydrates that reduce cooking loss such as polysaccharides, starches, gums, and fibres that were shown to effectively decrease HAAs formation and mutagenicity.…”

Food Borne Carcinogens: A Dead End?

“…Changing cooking practices to minimize weight loss resulted in less formation of HCAs because of the alteration of the mass transfer of HCA precursors. The addition of NaCl, sodium tryphosphate or carbohydrates with water-holding capacity to meat prior to cooking was an efficient and simple way to reduce the subsequent formation of HCAs, explained by a reduction in the transport of water-soluble precursors towards the crust (Persson et al, 2003(Persson et al, , 2004. Based on the same principle, microwaving beef patties before frying caused a reduction in mutagenicity possibly due to the loss of water and HCA precursors during the pretreatment .…”