Effect of six Chinese spices on heterocyclic amine profiles in roast beef patties by ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and principal component analysis

Effects and mechanisms of using "clean" smoke particles in the smoking process on the formation of β-carboline heterocyclic amines (β-CHAs) in smoked meat patties

β-Carboline heterocyclic amines (β-CHAs), known for their synergistic neurotoxic and carcinogenic effects, are predominantly produced by humans through cigarette smoke and food and are found particularly in meats cooked at high temperatures. Few studies have explored the differences in the mechanisms of accumulation of β-CHAs in smoked meat and meat processed at high temperatures. In this research, the concentration of β-CHAs in smoked meats prepared using a variety of wood materials was measured using LCMS/MS. Additionally, key volatile organic compound markers associated with β-CHAs accumulation in smoke were identified through GCMS and multivariate statistical analysis and subsequently confirmed in a chemical simulation system. Three types of strainers, each with a distinct aperture size, were used to assess the efficacy of particle filtration in reducing β-CHAs levels in smoked meat. The findings indicated that smoke exposure indeed increases the β-CHAs content of meat. However, only the strainer capable of filtering PM2.5-sized particles reduced the amount of β-CHAs present compared to the control group. In contrast, strainers with larger pore sizes facilitated excessive accumulation of β-CHAs. The presence of aldehydes such as 1 H-pyrrole-2-carboxaldehyde, 5-methylfurfural, benzaldehyde, furfural, and nonanal exhibited a positive correlation with the accumulation of β-CHAs. Conversely, phenolic compounds, including 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol, 2-methoxy-5-methylphenol, p-cresol, phenol, 2-methoxy-4-(1-propenyl)-, (Z)-, phenol, 3-ethyl-, and phenol, 4-ethyl-2-methoxy-, showed a negative correlation. Thus, filters made from chelated carbonyl trap materials both chemically and physically disrupt the buildup of β-CHAs in smoked meats. The use of this approach will not only improve the quality of these products but will also contribute to decreasing the amount of inhalation pollutants released into the environment.

Inhibitory and antioxidative capacity of nutmeg extracts on reduction of lipid oxidation and heterocyclic amines in pan-roasted beef patties

Identification and inhibition of mutagenic and carcinogenic heterocyclic amines (HCAs) from pan-roasted beef patties were performed by adding (0.02%) tertiary butyl hydroquinone (TBHQ) and (0.05%) ethanol-extracted nutmeg (ENE) using HPLC and principal component analysis. Ten HCAs, including six polar and four non-polar, were assessed. The addition of (0.05%) ENE significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the cooking loss and shrinkage of patties during cooking and reduced the total formation HCAs by 73.97%, which proved the significant (P < 0.05) inhibitory effect as a natural antioxidant against lipid oxidation and HCA formation compared to TBHQ. The DPPH radical-scavenging activity, total phenolic content, and available active metabolites of ENE were estimated. Furthermore, a positive correlation was observed between pH, level of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, and HCA formation in both the groups. TBHQ and ENE were significant HCAs inhibitors (P < 0.001), but ENE showed resilient oxidative stability during refrigeration storage. Therefore, ENE can be used to reduce HCAs formation in pan-roasted beef patties.

Study on Maillard reaction mechanism by quantum chemistry calculation

CONTEXT

The Maillard reaction is a high-temperature reaction of amino acids and carbohydrates to produce macromolecular substances such as melanoidins and intermediate reducing ketones, aldehydes, and volatile compounds. At present, only very limited researches involved the reaction mechanisms of Maillard reaction, which causes a lot of confusion in understanding numerous food processes. The detailed calculations of Maillard reaction are urgently needed.

METHODS

The density functional theory (DFT) method (M06-2X/6-311G*) was used to deeply explore the specific mechanism of the primary and intermediate stages of Maillard reaction for a selected model system.

RESULTS

The results show that the basic reaction processes in primary stage are the formation of Schiff-base by the condensation of amino and carbonyl groups, and then, Schiff-base tautomerization twice through proton transfer to generate Amadori rearrangement products. In the intermediate stage, two main reaction paths, 1-2 and 2-3 enolization, were comprehensively investigated. The first route finally generates 5-hydroxymethylfurfural through isomerization, dehydration, hydrolysis, elimination, and condensation, and the second route products dicarbonyl compounds through isomerization and elimination and then Strecker degradation forms aldehydes through condensation, decarboxylation, hydrolysis, and elimination. The results show that both paths are involved in complex reactions, some are lower barrier reactions, and some higher barrier reactions. An important aspect is that water catalysis is critical in all of these reactions; it is present in most processes. Our study deepens the understanding of the Maillard reaction from molecular level and facilitate the regulation of some harmful products.

The Effects of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) on the Formation of Heterocyclic Amines (HAs) in Meat Patties, under Different Smoking Temperatures and Durations

In this study, UPLC-MS/MS was used to study the effects of smoking duration and temperature on the formation of heterocyclic amines (HAs) in smoke-processed meat patties. Four kinds of free HAs—including F-7,8-DiMeIQx; F-MeAαC; F-Harman and F-Norharman—and six kinds of protein-bound HAs—including B-AαC; B-7,8-DiMeIQx; B-Glu-p-1; B-MeAαC; B-Harman and B-Norharman—were detected and quantified. Among the free HAs, we observed a 23-fold content increase (p < 0.05), from 0−4 h (at 0 h and 4 h they were 4.24 ng·g−1 and 98.33 ng·g−1, respectively), and the content of the free HAs decreased to 78.80 ng·g−1, at 5 h. At the same time, the free HAs content increased from 53.52 ng·g−1, at 50 °C, to 127.16 ng·g−1, at 60 °C, and then decreased continuously. The content of the free HAs was the highest at 60 °C. For the protein-bound HAs, their content was found to generally decrease with the increase in smoking duration and temperature. However, at 5 h, the content of protein-bound HAs slightly increased to 984.2 ng·g−1. Meanwhile, at 90 °C, it increased to 1643.53 ng·g−1. Additionally, a total of 16 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were found in all of the meat samples, of which 10 VOCs (one acid, three aldehydes and seven phenols) were significantly related to the formation of free HAs. These findings showed that all the different types of HAs were produced under low-temperature processing, which provided scientific insights into the potential generation of HAs during meat smoking processes and could be used as a reference to minimize the risks of cancer related to the consumption of smoked meat products.

Formation of Carcinogens in Processed Meat and Its Measurement with the Usage of Artificial Digestion—A Review

Meat is a rich source of various nutrients. However, it needs processing before consumption, what in turn generates formation of carcinogenic compounds, i.a., polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), nitrosamines (NOCs), and the most mutagenic heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs). It was widely found that many factors affect the content of carcinogens in processed meat. However, it has recently been discovered that after digestion free HAAs are released, which are not detectable before enzymatic treatment. It was established that the highest percentage of carcinogens is released in the small intestine and that its amount can be increased up to 6.6-fold. The change in free HAAs content in analyzed samples was dependent on many factors such as meat type, doneness, particle size of meat, and the enzyme concentration used for digestion. In turn, introduction of bacteria naturally occurring in the human digestive tract into the model significantly decreases total amount of HAAs. Contrary, the addition of food ingredients rich in polyphenols, fiber, and water (pepper powder, onions, apples) increases free HAAs’ release up to 56.06%. Results suggests that in vitro digestion should be an integral step of sample preparation. Artificial digestion introduced before chromatographic analysis will allow to estimate accurately the content of carcinogens in processed meat.

Inhibitory Effect of Tamarix ramosissima Extract on the Formation of Heterocyclic Amines in Roast Lamb Patties by Retarding the Consumption of Precursors and Preventing Free Radicals

Tamarix ramosissima has been widely used as barbecue skewers for the good taste and unique flavor it gives to the meat, but the effects of T. ramosissima on heterocyclic amine (HA) formation in roast lamb are unknown. The influence of T. ramosissima extract (TRE) on HA formation, precursors’ consumption, and free radicals’ generation in roast lamb patties were elucidated by UPLC-MS, HPLC, and electron spin resonance (ESR) analysis, respectively. Six HAs were identified and compared with the control group; the total and polar HAs decreased by 30.51% and 56.92% with TRE addition at 0.30 g/kg. The highest inhibitory effect was found against 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-f]pyridine (PhIP) formation (70.83%) at 0.45 g/kg. The addition of TRE retarded the consumption of HA precursors, resulting in fewer HAs formed. The typical signal intensity of free radicals in roast lamb patties significantly decreased with TRE addition versus the control group (p < 0.05), and the higher the levels of the TRE, the greater the decrease in signal intensity. We propose that the inhibitory effects of TRE on HA formation, especially on polar HAs, were probably achieved by retarding the consumption of precursors and preventing free radicals from being generated in roast lamb patties. These findings provide valuable information concerning TRE’s effectiveness in preventing HA formation through both the precursor consumption and free radical scavenging mechanisms.

Reduction of the Heterocyclic Amines in Grilled Beef Patties through the Combination of Thermal Food Processing Techniques without Destroying the Grilling Quality Characteristics

In order to reduce the formation of heterocyclic amines in grilled beef patties without destroying their unique quality characteristics, the effects of different thermal processes, including charcoal grilling, infrared grilling, superheated steam roasting and microwave heating, on the production of heterocyclic amines in beef patties and grilling quality characteristics were systematically analyzed. The results showed that infrared grilling can significantly (p < 0.05) reduce the content of heterocyclic amines in grilled patties, and the combination of microwave heating or superheated steam roasting with infrared grilling could further reduce the content of heterocyclic amines, with a maximum reduction ratio of 44.48%. While subtle differences may exist in infrared grilled patties with/without superheated steam roasting or microwave heating, a slight change will not affect the overall quality characteristics of grilled patties. The combined thermal processing will not visually affect the color of the grilled patties. Correlation analysis and regression analysis showed that the reduction in heterocyclic amines caused by microwave heating and superheated steam roasting are related to the moisture content and lipid oxidation of grilled patties, respectively. Using combined thermal processes to reduce the formation of heterocyclic amines is advisable.

Heterocyclic Aromatic Amines in Meat: Formation, Isolation, Risk Assessment, and Inhibitory Effect of Plant Extracts

Heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) are potent carcinogenic compounds induced by the Maillard reaction in well-done cooked meats. Free amino acids, protein, creatinine, reducing sugars and nucleosides are major precursors involved in the production of polar and non-polar HAAs. The variety and yield of HAAs are linked with various factors such as meat type, heating time and temperature, cooking method and equipment, fresh meat storage time, raw material and additives, precursor’s presence, water activity, and pH level. For the isolation and identification of HAAs, advanced chromatography and spectroscopy techniques have been employed. These potent mutagens are the etiology of several types of human cancers at the ng/g level and are 100- to 2000-fold stronger than that of aflatoxins and benzopyrene, respectively. This review summarizes previous studies on the formation and types of potent mutagenic and/or carcinogenic HAAs in cooked meats. Furthermore, occurrence, risk assessment, and factors affecting HAA formation are discussed in detail. Additionally, sample extraction procedure and quantification techniques to determine these compounds are analyzed and described. Finally, an overview is presented on the promising strategy to mitigate the risk of HAAs by natural compounds and the effect of plant extracts containing antioxidants to reduce or inhibit the formation of these carcinogenic substances in cooked meats.

High-throughput quantification of eighteen heterocyclic aromatic amines in roasted and pan-fried meat on the basis of high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry

Triple quadrupole mass spectrometry has been the main technique for HAAs analysis in recent decade, while it requires extensive optimization of compound-dependent parameters. A novel method based on HPLC-Q-Orbitrap-HRMS was developed firstly for simultaneous determination of eighteen HAAs. Extraction and purification conditions were optimized and the developed method was validated in terms of linearity, accuracy and precision. Results indicated eighteen HAAs and two internal standards could be separated in 12 min using a gradient elution program. The full MS/dd-MS² scan was adopted for analysis, which indicated favorable recoveries (71.3-114.8%) along with LODs and LOQs in the ranges of 0.02-0.6 and 0.05-2.0 μg/kg, respectively. Internal standards used for calibration could effectively reduce quantification errors produced by matrix effects. The validated method was successfully applied for HAAs analysis in roasted and pan-fried meat and was confirmed to be an alternative method when triple quadrupole mass spectrometry is absent in lab.

Generation of Sarcoplasmic and Myofibrillar Protein-Bound Heterocyclic Amines in Chemical Model Systems under Different Heating Temperatures and Durations

The protein-bound heterocyclic amines (HAs) and their generation pattern are still unclear. Generation of sarcoplasmic (SP)- and myofibrillar protein (MP)-bound HAs under different heating conditions was investigated in chemical model systems using ultraperformance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The results showed that eight types (387.01 ± 37.50 ng/100 mg MP) and six types (452.06 ± 33.32 ng/100 mg SP) of protein-bound HAs were generated at 180 °C/40 min, respectively. MP system can generate either more types or amounts of bound HAs at 90-150 °C. The main categories of protein-bound HAs in two systems were almost the same: β-carbolines, α-carbolines, pyridines, and quinolines, among which nonpolar HAs dominated by β-carbolines (at least 69.2%) are most easily formed. Principal component analysis revealed no significant difference in bound HAs at 90-120 °C but showed a significant increase at 150-180 °C. The higher the temperature, the more significant the differences between samples with different durations at the same temperature.

Evaluating the effects of temperature and time on heterocyclic aromatic amine profiles in roasted pork using combined UHPLC-MS/MS and multivariate analysis

In this study, ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) combined with principal component analysis (PCA) were used to investigate the effects of process conditions on the profiles of carcinogenic and mutagenic heterocyclic aromatic amine (HAA) in the pork roasted at 175 °C, 200 °C, 225 °C and 250 °C for 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 min. Twelve HAAs from four categories, including carboline (Norharman, Harman, and Phe-p-1), imidazopyridine (PhIP, 4'-OH-PhIP, DMIP, and 1,5,6-TMIP), imidazoquinoline (IQ, IQ [4,5-b], and MeIQ), and imidazoquinoxaline (MeIQx and 4,8-DiMeIQx), were detected, quantified and used to compose the HAA profiles in roasted pork. After being Analyzed by PCA, the distributions of HAA profiles from different temperature on the PCA score plot demonstrated that there are significant differences among the HAA profiles from different temperatures. The loading plot also showed that PhIP, 4'-OH-PhIP, IQ[4,5-b], and MeIQ were mainly responsible for the difference. The profiles from higher temperature distribute more scattered than the lower ones, illustrating that the time effects on the HAA profiles from higher temperature are stronger than the lower ones. Comparing the score and loading plots of different heating times, the diversities of the HAA profiles at different temperatures increased under prolonged heating because of the changingpyridines levels. The results of PCA that comparing the HAA from different categories displayed that the formation features of four categories HAAs were significantly differed because of their formation discrepancy under low temperatures and short-term roasting. Using HAA profiles as an entirety, these findings obtained in this study are more close to the real process of HAA formation in roasted pork, and make the complex effects of temperature and time on multiple HAA formations more simply to be concluded.

A review on β-carboline alkaloids and their distribution in foodstuffs: A class of potential functional components or not?

Pharmacologically active β-carboline alkaloids (βCs) such as harman, norharman and some others are naturally present in plants and occur in many foodstuffs. They have a lot of pharmacological properties, including antitumor, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects, and possess the potential for treating Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, depression and other central nervous system diseases. Dietary intake is proven to be an important source of βCs. Therefore, it is important to know the amounts of βCs that can be gotten from daily diets. This review summarizes the pharmacological activities, toxicology and formation of βCs, and gives collective information on contents of βCs in different foodstuffs.

Effects of ten vegetable oils on heterocyclic amine profiles in roasted beef patties using UPLC-MS/MS combined with principal component analysis

Soybean oil (SBO), rapeseed oil (RSO), peanut oil (PO), corn oil (CO), olive oil (OO), sunflower oil (SFO), rice germ oil (RGO), walnut oil (WO), torreya seed oil (TSO), and grapeseed oil (GSO) were used to investigate the formation of heterocyclic amines (HAs) in roasted beef patties. Seven HAs, including 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx), 2-amino-3,4-dimethyl-3H-imidazo[4,5-f]quinolone (MeIQ), 2-amino-3-methyl-3H-imidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (IQx), 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (4,8-DiMeIQx), 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP), 1-methyl-9H-pyrido[3,4-b]indole (harman), and 9H-pyrido[3,4-b]indole (norharman) were detected in control patties and patties with vegetable oils. GSO, SFO, and WO greatly reduced the content of PhIP and MeIQ. 1.25%TSO and 3.75% RGO showed higher inhibition effects on the more strongly mutagenic compounds (PhIP, MeIQ, IQx, 4,8-DiMeIQx, MeIQx). SBO, PO, and RSO promoted imidazoquin(ox)aline (MeIQ, MeIQx, 4,8-DiMeIQx, and IQx) and β-carboline (harman and norharman); 1.25% SBO had the most significant promoting effect on total HA. This could be useful for the reduction of HA by selecting oils during cooking.

A novel potent inhibitor of 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b] pyridine (PhIP) formation from Chinese chive: Identification, inhibitory effect and action mechanism

Differential solvent extraction and phytochemical profiling of Chinse chive were employed to identify its principal PhIP-formation inhibitory constituents. Six compounds (mangiferin, isorhamnetin, luteolin, rosmarinic acid, 6-methylcoumarin, and cyanidin-3-glucoside) were further analyzed in a PhIP-producing chemical model to identify the dominant inhibitor. Its inhibitory mechanism was investigated by assessing the contribution of antioxidation and scavenging of key PhIP precursor/intermediate. No significant correlation was observed between PhIP inhibition rates and antioxidant activities. Further evaluation of the novel potent inhibitor mangiferin revealed a highly significant correlation between its dose-dependent inhibition of PhIP formation and phenylacetaldehyde scavenging. Finally, the proposed mechanism was corroborated through organic synthesis and structural elucidation of the mangiferin-phenylacetaldehyde adduct. This study has identified a potent novel inhibitor of the most abundant HA in heat-processed food and characterized its action mechanism. These findings may provide insight for future studies on mitigation of dietary exposure to toxic Maillard products by polyphenolic phytochemicals.

Effects of seasoning on the formation of heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in meats: A meta-analysis

Cooking improves digestibility, palatability, and microbiological profile of meats, but can produce compounds with carcinogenic potential, such as heterocyclic amines (HAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). It has been shown that the formation of these compounds in meats can be inhibited by spiced marinades, but there is a complexity to check and compare the results of isolated studies with so many variables involved. Thus, this work aimed to review studies that evaluated the effects of spices on the formation of HAs and PAHs in meats according to cooking techniques and spice type. A meta-analysis with a random effect model was conducted using response ratios (R) to identify and summarize previous results and answer the research question. The use of spices before frying (R* = 0.52), grilling (R* = 0.63), or roasting (R* = 0.74) meat, and spicing with garlic and onion (R* = 0.57), pepper (R* = 0.63), and other spices with phenolic compounds (R* = 0.63), decrease the formation of HAs and PAHs, due to the antioxidant and electron transfer capacity. In this article, we discuss how the improvement of culinary techniques with the dissemination of knowledge about meat preparation conditions is an effective strategy for reducing the formation and ingestion of HAs and PAHs; this is important due to the growing evidence about the association between meat consumption and chronic diseases. This is the first systematic review with meta-analysis about this topic and can guide industry, food services, and population to improve the safety associated with meat consumption.

The Inhibitory Effects of Heterotrigona Itama Honey Marinades on the Formation of Carcinogenic Heterocyclic Amines in Grilled Beef Satay

Heterocyclic amines (HCAs) are carcinogenic food toxicants formed in cooked meats, which may increase the risk of cancer development in humans. Therefore, in this study, the effect of stingless bee honey from different botanical origins on the formation of HCAs in grilled beef satay was investigated. HCAs concentration in grilled beef satay was determined by using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In total, six of the most toxigenic HCAs representing aminoimidazo-azaarenes (AIAs) (MeIQx, 4,8-DiMeIQx, and PhIP) and amino carbolines (norharman, harman, and AαC) groups were identified in all the beef samples investigated. A significant reduction in HCAs was observed in grilled beef marinated in honey as compared to beef samples marinated in table sugar (control), in which the reduction of 95.14%, 88.45%, 85.65%, and 57.22% was observed in gelam, starfruit, acacia, and Apis honey marinades, respectively. According to the partial least squares regression (PLS) model, the inhibition of HCAs in grilled beef was shown to be significantly correlated to the antioxidant activity (IC50) of the honey samples. Therefore, the results of this study revealed that the addition of stingless bee honey could play an important role in reducing HCAs in grilled beef.

Structure characteristics of flavonoids for heterocyclic aromatic amines inhibition using quantitative structure-activity relationship modeling

The objective of this study was to investigate the structure characteristics of flavonoids that act as inhibitors for heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) formation. Five quantitative structure-activity relationship models for predicting the inhibitory rates of HAAs (norharman, harman, PhIP, MeIQx, and 4,8-DiMeIQx) were established using selected chemometric parameters (R² : 0.591-0.920), and indicated that the hydrophobicity, hydroxyl groups, and topological structure of flavonoids played important roles in the inhibition of HAAs formation. The 5,7-dihydroxyls in meta-position of the A-ring and the 4'-hydroxyl in the B-ring of flavonoids were critical for the inhibitory effects of HAAs, whereas the introduction of 3-hydroxyl and 3-O-glucoside in the C-ring reduced the inhibitory effects. Catechin served as the most effective inhibitor of HAAs followed by luteolin and genistein. The study can bring us a broader idea for controlling the formation of HAAs according to the structure of flavonoids. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) are a class of organic substances with carcinogenic and mutagenic effect formed during the heating process of meat products. The formation of HAAs can be inhibited by adding natural antioxidants such as flavonoids to the meat during pretreatment. This inhibition is influenced by the unique structure of flavonoids. Thus, there has been an increasing demand to exploit the effective HAAs inhibitors from flavonoids by structure characteristics. Our study showed that the inhibitory effect of flavonoids on the formation of HAAs was mainly depended on their hydrophobicity, hydroxyl groups, and topological structure using the multiple QSAR models. Thus, effective HAAs inhibitors can be explored from dietary flavonoids according their structure characteristics.

Analysis of heterocyclic aromatic amine profiles in Chinese traditional bacon and sausage based on ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-HRMS)

Ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-HRMS) was used for the screening and determination of 14 heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) in Chinese traditional bacon and sausage. HAAs were extracted from samples using sodium hydroxide solution with acetonitrile, and purified by solid-phase extraction. UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-HRMS acquired full MS data for quantification, and UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-Full MS/dd-MS2 (i.e., data-dependent scan mode) obtained product ion spectra for identification. Quantification was achieved using matrix-matched standard calibration curves along with the use of isotope labeled standards as internal standards. Linearity was observed in the range of 0.2-500 μg/L for 14 HAAs, with determination coefficients (R²) greater than 0.997. Limits of detection and limits of quantification were in the ranges of 0.1-0.8 μg/kg and 0.3-2.5 μg/kg, respectively. UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-HRMS demonstrated acceptable performance for quantification and confirmation of HAAs, while UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-Full MS/dd-MS2 along with library matching showed great potential for screening and confirmation of unknown HAAs in meat products.

Inhibitory profiles of spices against free and protein-bound heterocyclic amines of roast beef patties as revealed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and principal component analysis

The effects of various levels of chili pepper, Sichuan pepper, and black pepper on the amounts of 17 heterocyclic amines (HAs) from seven categories of both free and protein-bound states in roast beef patties were assessed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry combined with principal component analysis. Three groups of HA, including imidazopyridines (DMIP), imidazoquinoxalines (MeIQx and 4,8-MeIQx), and β-carbolines (norharman and harman), were detected and quantified in both their free and protein-bound states, whereas PhIP was detected only in its free state, and imidazoquinolines (IQ, IQ[4,5-b], and MeIQ), α-carbolines (AαC and MeAαC), and phenylpyridines (Phe-P-1) were detected only in their protein-bound states. The results demonstrate that the peppers at all three levels had significant inhibitory effects on free PhIP, DMIP, MeIQx, and 4,8-DiMeIQx and could promote free norharman. Harman was significantly suppressed by chili pepper and black pepper, but enhanced by Sichuan pepper. All 11 protein-bound HAs, with the exception of IQ, IQ[4,5-b], and MeIQx with added chili pepper, were significantly reduced by the three peppers. The total amounts of the free and protein-bound states of all 11 HAs (1692.4 ± 78.9 ng g^-1), imidazopyridines (5.5 ± 0.2 ng g^-1), imidazoquinolines (7.2 ± 0.2 ng g^-1), imidazoquinoxalines (6.9 ± 0.2 ng g^-1), α-carbolines (20.1 ± 0.4 ng g^-1), and β-carbolines (1651.7 ± 79.5 ng g^-1) were suppressed by each level of all of the three peppers except for 0.5% and 1.0% chili pepper. Our findings may facilitate the inhibition of HA formation in the processing of meat products.

Structure-Activity Relationship (SAR) of Phenolics for 2-Amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) Formation in Phenylalanine/Creatinine Reaction Mixtures Including (or Not) Oxygen and Lipid Hydroperoxides

Phenolics can act as either promoters or inhibitors in 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) formation. In an attempt to clarify the structure-activity relationship (SAR) of phenolics for this reaction, the formation of PhIP in mixtures of phenylalanine, creatinine, 13-hydroperoxide of linoleic acid (LOOH) or 4-oxo-2-nonenal, and a wide array of phenolics was studied in the presence and in the absence of oxygen. The obtained results suggested that those phenolics having a high carbonyl scavenging ability inhibited the formation of PhIP. On the other hand, those phenolics that mainly acted as free radical scavengers and, therefore, were easily converted into quinones promoted the formation of PhIP. Phenolics of the first type were m-diphenols and 1,3,5-triphenols. Phenolics of the second type were o- and p-diphenols. Other phenolics, like 1,2,3- and 1,2,4-triphenols, exhibited a behavior either as carbonyl scavengers or as free radical scavengers depending on ring substitutions. Among the studied derivatives, the presence of a carboxylic or a methoxyl group at certain positions inhibited their behavior as carbonyl scavengers and, therefore, promoted the formation of PhIP. A procedure to classify phenolics as either carbonyl or free radical scavengers is proposed.

Domestic Cooking of Muscle Foods: Impact on Composition of Nutrients and Contaminants

Meat and fish are muscle foods rich in valuable nutrients, such as high-quality proteins, vitamins, and minerals, and, in the case of fish, also unsaturated fatty acids. The escalation of meat and fish production has increased the occurrence of pesticide and antibiotic residues, as result of pest control on feed crops, and antibiotics used to fight infections in animals. Meat and fish are usually cooked to enrich taste, soften texture, increase safety, and improve nutrient digestibility. However, the impact of cooking on nutritional properties and formation of deleterious compounds must be understood. This review summarizes studies, published in the last decade, that have focused on how domestic cooking affects: (i) composition of nutrients (protein, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals); (ii) antibiotic and pesticide residue contents; and (iii) the formation of cooking-induced contaminants (heterocyclic aromatic amines, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and thermal degradation products of antibiotics and pesticides). Cooking affects the nutritional composition of meat and fish; frying is the cooking method that causes the greatest impact. Cooking may reduce the pesticide and antibiotic residues present in contaminated raw meat and fish; however, it may result in the formation of degradation products of unknown identity and toxicity. Control of cooking time and temperature, use of antioxidant-rich marinades, and avoiding the dripping of fat during charcoal grilling can reduce the formation of cooking-induced contaminants.

Inhibitory effects of catechins on β-carbolines in tea leaves and chemical model systems

The profile of 18 heterocyclic amines from seven categories (including β-carbolines) in tea leaves during green and black tea processing procedures, as well as commercial tea products was screened by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry.

Inhibitory effect of hawthorn extract on heterocyclic aromatic amine formation in beef and chicken breast meat

This study focused on the inhibitory effect of different levels of hawthorn extract (0, 0.5, and 1%) on the formation of heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) in beef and chicken breast cooked by either pan-cooking or oven-cooking. All meat samples were cooked at three different temperatures (150, 200, and 250°C) and the levels of twelve HAAs were assessed (IQ, IQx, MeIQ, MeIQx, 4,8-DiMeIQx, 7,8-DiMeIQx, PhIP, harman, norharman, AαC, MeAαC, and Trp-P-2). Varying levels of IQ (up to 4.47ng/g), IQx (up to 0.69ng/g), MeIQ (up to 0.82ng/g), MeIQx (up to 1.01ng/g), 4,8-DiMeIQx (up to 0.10ng/g), 7,8-DiMeIQx (up to 0.23ng/g), PhIP (up to 0.75ng/g), harman (up to 2.15ng/g), norharman (up to 1.08ng/g), AαC (up to 1.86ng/g), MeAαC (up to 0.48ng/g), and Trp-P-2 (up to 12.88ng/g), were detected. Samples cooked at 150°C had very low amounts of HAAs, and the levels of HAAs increased gradually when the cooking temperature rose from 150 to 250°C. The total HAA content in chicken breast and beef ranged between not detectable to 17.60ng/g, and not detectable to 11.38ng/g, respectively. The inhibitory effects of hawthorn extract at 0.5% and 1% on total HAAs levels were found to be 12-100% and 19-97% in chicken breast, respectively, and 42-100% and 20-35% in beef, respectively. This study demonstrated that hawthorn extracts at 0.5% and 1% could mitigate HAA formation, especially at high cooking temperatures.