The effectiveness of curing, heat processing, and attributed to fat rendering during cooking, although cooking to reduce dieldrin residue levels in pork heat destruction, codistillation, and/or aeration may bellies was investigated. Cooked bacon contained have occurred. Losses varied among animals as 20 to 53 Z of the dieldrin originally present in the well as between cooking methods. uncured pork samples. Most of the losses were he potentials for removing chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticide residues from meats by preparative proce-T dures have received limited investigation. Studying the effectiveness of cooking methods to reduce D D T residue levels in beef, Carter et al. (1948) concluded the pesticide was not materially decomposed or lost during cooking. In contrast, McCaskey et al. (1968), Liska et af. (1967), and Ritchey et ai. (1967) have reported reductions in pesticide residue levels of many chlorinated hydrocarbons contained in chicken tissues. In general, the reductions were dependent on cooking time and/or temperature. In a later study, Ritchey et al. (1969) reported data suggesting leaching of fat during cooking was very effective in reducing pesticide residue levels.It was the purpose of this study to investigate the effectiveness of curing and cooking to reduce dieldrin residue levels in bacon. The bacon, prepared from bellies taken from animals fed known quantities of dieldrin and from an animal fed no dieldrin, was cooked by pan-frying and baking. Uncured, cured, and cooked samples, as well as drip losses, were analyzed.
EXPERIMENTALSample. Immediately after slaughter the belly was removed from the right side of three crossbred York-Hampshire hogs ranging in weight from 340 to 390 lb. The 10month old, near-term pregnant hogs had been on a normal diet. During a 13-day period immediately prior to slaughter, two of the hogs received nine 1.56-g oral capsule doses of dieldrin for a total of 14.04 g, while the third hog received no dieldrin. Administration of dieldrin was randomized but no more than one dose was given in any 24-hr period. The bellies were wrapped in Saran and heavy waxed freezer paper, frozen, and stored at -20" C.Curing and Heat Processing. After defrosting for approximately 24 hr at 4 to 5' C, portions were removed from each and and from the center of each belly. These raw portions were analyzed for dieldrin content to assess the possible effect of curing and heat processing in reducing pesticide residue levels. Bellies were cured by immersion for 3 days at 4 to 5' C in a solution containing 177.54 g of sodium chloride, 45.32 g of sucrose, 1.1332 g of sodium nitrate, and 3550 ml of distilled water. Samples were agitated daily to ensure equal curing of all areas of each piece.For heat processing, a Hotpoint deck oven, model HJ225, equipped with a Honeywell Versatronik controller, was preheated to and mainttiined at 76" C i 2" with the grids set on medium and the damper closed. Water, contained in a 17 X 1 1 1 1 2 X 2lIz in. aluminum baking pan, was present Department of Food Science ...