Trp-P-2 is not detectable in cooked meat and fish

A gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric assay has been developed for the measurement of 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-2) in cooked meat and fish. The method employs capillary column gas chromatography, electron capture negative ion chemical ionisation mass spectrometry, a deuterated analogue of Trp-P-2 as internal standard and has a limit of detection of 0.1 ng Trp-P-2/g food. Four different meats and three types of fish, cooked either by frying on an electric hotplate or by charcoal broiling, were analysed for Trp-P-2. No Trp-P-2 was detected in any of the samples. The assay was modified to give an improved limit of detection of 25 pg Trp-P-2/g food and fried ground beef was re-examined. Once again, no Trp-P-2 was detected in this cooked meat.