FORMATION OF HETEROCYCLIC AMINE MUTAGENS/CARCINOGENS DURING HOME AND COMMERCIAL COOKING OF MUSCLE FOODS

1745-4573

Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005

Process Engineering, Biotechnology, Nutrition Technology

Muscle foods, when cooked, sometimes form heterocyclic amines that are mutagenic in bacteria and carcinogenic in animal tests. A survey of commercially cooked meats from restaurants or grocery stores reflected varying levels from undetectable to 560 revertant colonies per gram in the Salmonella strain TA98 mutagenicity test. Home and laboratory cooked meats revealed up to 4000 TA98 revertants per gram of cooked meat. Heterocyclic amine mutagens/carcinogens responsible for the mutagenic activity were detected in some samples at 1.5 to 400 ppb. Since these compounds are formed from natural components in meats during heating, the cooking time and temperature are determinants for their production. Clearly, cooking conditions can be modified to greatly reduce or eliminate these carcinogens from our diet.

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