Effect of sequestering agents on lipid oxidation in cooked meats

To retard lipid oxidation, which affects the sensory and nutritional quality of cooked meats, a number of sequestering agents (ortho- and polyphosphates, citric acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA), salicylic acid, the sodium salts of oxalic, phytic and lactic acids, glycine, cysteine, 8-hydroxy-quinoline and catechol) were added to ground pork prior to cooking. The TBA numbers of meat were evaluated after cooking (day 1) and after 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 days of storage at 4°C by the 2-thiobarbituric acid (TBA) test. It was found that catechol, EDTA, DTPA, sodium pyrophosphate and, to a lesser extent, sodium tripolyphosphate, substantially lowered the TBA numbers while the other sequestering agents had only a marginal effect. Mixed-chelating systems composed of salicylic acid and either EDTA or DTPA did not show any synergistic effects.