Effect of Cooking Procedures, Chemical Composition and Ingredients of Meatballs on Heterocyclic Aromatic Amine Formation

Abstract

Aim: Heterocyclic aromatic amines (HCAs) are potent food mutagens at ng/g levels in cooked foods formed during cooking of meat and fish at temperatures above 150°C and the aim of this study was to determine HCA contents of meatball samples and investigate the factors that affect HCA formation. Material and Methods: 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (IQx), 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f] quinoline (IQ), 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx), 2-amino-3,4-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (MeIQ), 2-amino- 3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (4,8-DiMeIQx), 2-amino-3,7,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (7,8-DiMeIQx), 2-amino-1-metil- 6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridrine (PhIP), 2-amino-9H-pyrido[2,3-b]indole (AαC) and 2-amino-3-methyl-9H-pyrido[2,3-b]indole (MeAαC) contents in meatball samples obtained from mass catering in Ankara were analyzed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Results: IQ (1.02 ng/g), PhIP (0.99 ng/g) MeIQ (0.79 ng/g), MeIOx (0.55 ng/g), AαC (0.43 ng/g) were detected at various levels in meatball samples. On the other hand IQx (0.12 ng/g), 7,8-DiMeIQx (0.09 ng/g), 4,8-DiMeIQx (0.10 ng/g) were determined at trace levels. As the factors that affect HCA formation, positive correlations were found between cooking time and MeIQx (p<0.01), MeIQ (p<0.05) and PhIP (p<0.01) level. In addition, negative correlations were found between red pepper and MeIQx (p=0.05) and PhIP (p<0.01) level. Conclusion: Varied levels of HCAs were determined in meatball samples, IQ, PhIP and MeIQ were major HCAs in this study. Cooking time, fat percentage of meatballs and added red paper amount were also found effective factors for HCA formation.