OXIDATIVE STABILITY OF COOKED COMMINUTED LEAN PORK AS AFFECTED BY ALKALI AND ALKALI-EARTH HALIDES

Lipid oxidation of comminuted lean pork containing alkali or alkali-ea rth metals (at 100 or 200 meq/kg sample) was monitored over a 7-day st orage at 4 degrees C using the 2-thiobarbituric acid-reactive substanc es (TEARS) test. For samples exhibiting an antioxidative effect, furth er studies were carried out to determine their content of volatiles. F luorides and iodides of alkali metals inhibited lipid oxidation in mea t model systems as reflected in TEARS values and hexanal contents. A h igh correlation (r = 0.9263) existed between hexanal contents and TEAR S values of treated meat. Chloride and bromide salts of alkali and alk ali-earth metals exhibited a slight prooxidative influence on lipid ox idation. Fluorides of alkali-earth metals did not exhibit antioxidant activity, presumably due to an ion-pairing mechanism, while their iodi de analogues retained antioxidative activity.