The inhibition of heterocyclic aromatic amine formation in ground beef patties using tart cherries and fractions from tart cherries (Prunus cerasus)

The effects of temperature and tart cherry tissue concentration on heterocyclic aromatic amine (HAA) formation in fried ground beef patties and overall mutagenicity were investigated. Tart cherry tissue was added to ground beef patties at three levels (4.0%, 7.5% and 11.5% by weight); the patties were fried at two temperatures (190°C & 225°C) for 10min/side. HAAs were isolated by solid phase extraction and quantified by HPLC. Ground beef patties fried at 190°C with the addition of 11.5% tart cherries showed a reduction in 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx) of 53.0% and a reduction in 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]-pyridine (PhIP) of 87%. The addition of 4.0 and 7.5% cherries showed significant reductions in PhIP. Overall, mutagenicity decreased by 69%. Patties fried at 225°C with the addition of 4.0, 7.5, and 11.5% tart cherries showed reductions in PhIP formation of 51, 72, and 85%, respectively.; The reductions in HAA formation led us to speculate that anthocyanins, present in tart cherries, may be responsible for inhibiting HAA formation due to their high antioxidant potential.{09}Therefore, the effects of anthocyanins on HAA formation were investigated in a model system and in fried ground beef patties.{09}The model system contained a mixture of three reactants (0.2 mmol phenylalanine, 0.2 mmol creatine, and 0.1 mmol glucose). The three cherry anthocyanins (15 mg), (1) [3-cyanidin 2″-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-6 ″-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-β-D-glucopyranoside] (65%), (2) [3-cyanidin 6″-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-β-D-glucopyranoside] (30%), and (3) [3-cyanidin O-β-D-glucopyranoside] (5%), were added to the model system and heated at 180°C for 30 minutes. Anthocyanins were added to ground beef patties at a dose equivalent to 11.5% (w/w) cherry tissue, and the patties were fried at 225°C for twenty minutes. No significant inhibition of HAA formation was observed in the model system or ground beef patties with the addition of anthocyanins.; In a third set of experiments, lyophilized Montmorency tart cherries were sequentially extracted with solvents to determine which compound or group of compounds in cherry tissue was responsible for inhibiting the formation of heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs). Individual extracts from cherries were added at a dose equivalent to 11.5% (w/w) cherry tissue to ground beef patties and fried at 225°C.{09}The methanol extract inhibited the formation of PhIP by 62%.{09} Further purification of the methanol extract yielded a fraction containing three sugars (glucose, fructose, and maltose), which inhibited PhIP formation by 49%.{09}Further studies showed no significant difference between using a combination of three sugars or using glucose alone at the same concentration (0.134% w/w). We conclude that reducing sugars are primarily responsible for the HAA inhibitory effect of cherries.; Analysis of several meat samples for concentration of precursor compounds glucose and creatine indicated considerable variation. Instead of promoting HAA formation in these samples as predicted by various models, glucose was inhibitory in meat at all levels tested. Several possible mechanisms for inhibition by glucose are discussed.