HPLC profiles of mutagens in lean ground pork fried at different temperatures

Ground lean pork was formed into patties and fried under ordinary conditions making sure that the crust was not charred. No fat was added when frying. The meat was fried at pan temperatures of 200 degrees C, 250 degrees C, and 300 degrees C until the temperature at the centre of the patties was either 65 degrees C or 70 degrees C. The crust was extracted with aqueous acid followed by concentration of the mutagens on an XAD-2 column and elution with acetone. The total mutagenic activity and high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of the mutagenic components ("mutagrams") in the eluates were determined for the different frying procedures using the Salmonella/mammalian microsome test strain TA 98. Each 50 degrees C increase in the pan temperature (from 200 degrees C to 250 degrees C and from 250 degrees C to 300 degrees C) resulted in a doubling of the total mutagenic activity. The HPLC profiles of the mutagens were quite similar for the different frying temperatures, although a strong increase in the relative amount of more apolar mutagens was seen at 300 degrees C (the highest temperature). The major mutagenic activity of the HPLC fractions was confined to seven regions (mutagenic peaks) and a comparison of the HPLC profiles of the mutagens in fried beef and pork patties showed identical profiles. It is therefore concluded that the mutagenic compounds formed in fried beef and pork are similar in structure.