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Heterocyclic aromatic amine content in pre-processed meat cuts produced in Canada
B Stavric1, B P Lau, T I Matula
1Food Research Division, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Summary
Processed meat cuts showed minimal mutagenic activity, with only trace amounts of heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) detected. This suggests that ready-to-eat meat products like turkey breast and ham pose a low health risk from these contaminants.
Area of Science:
- Food Science
- Toxicology
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) are mutagenic/carcinogenic food contaminants formed during meat processing.
- Ready-to-eat meat products, or 'meat cuts', are widely consumed.
- Assessing HAA levels in these products is crucial for public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the presence and mutagenic activity of eight common HAAs in processed, ready-to-eat meat cuts.
- To evaluate the potential health risks associated with HAA consumption from these products.
Main Methods:
- Samples of 16 different meat cuts were analyzed.
- HAAs were isolated using sequential liquid-liquid extraction at acidic and basic pH.
- Mutagenic activity was assessed using the Ames/Salmonella microsome assay (TA98/S-9).
- Chemical analysis involved liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry for quantification.
Main Results:
- Mutagenicity ranged from undetectable to slightly active across samples.
- A smoked turkey breast sample showed the highest activity (141 revertants/g).
- Eleven samples were non-mutagenic; four showed very low activity.
- Only trace amounts (0.4 ng/g) of 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx) were detected chemically.
Conclusions:
- Consumption of the analyzed meat cuts is unlikely to pose a significant health risk from HAA-type contaminants.
- The study highlights the low occurrence of common HAAs in these processed meat products.
- Further research may focus on other potential contaminants or processing methods.