Influence of cherry tissue on lipid oxidation and heterocyclic aromatic amine formation in ground beef patties

The effects of tart cherry tissue added at an 11.5% level on the oxidation of lipids in raw and cooked ground beef patties and on the formation of heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) in the fried patties were investigated. Oxidation was significantly influenced by the addition of tissue from two varieties of tart cherries, Montmorency and Balaton. Thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances values for raw and cooked ground beef patties containing cherry tissue were significantly (p < 0.05) smaller than those for the control beef patties. Cholesterol oxidation was also influenced by the presence of cherry tissue. After 4 days of refrigerated storage, cholesterol oxides represented 5.2% of the total cholesterol content of cooked control beef patties and 2.0 and 1.7% of the total cholesterol in patties containing Montmorency and Balaton cherry tissue, respectively. The formation of mutagenic/ carcinogenic HAAs during frying of the patties was inhibited by components in the cherry tissue. The concentrations of 2-amino- 1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP), the principal HAA in cooked muscle foods, were reduced 93 and 87% by Montmorency and Balaton cherry tissue, respectively. Tart cherry tissue may represent a new approach to reducing HAA formation in cooked beef patties as well as being a natural source of antioxidants to delay the rapid onset of lipid and cholesterol oxidation in meat products.