HETEROCYCLIC AMINE CONTENT IN FAST-FOOD MEAT-PRODUCTS

Heterocyclic aromatic amines are sometimes formed during the cooking o f muscle meats, and their mutagenic and carcinogenic effects are of po tential concern in the aetiology of human cancer. In a large survey of the heterocyclic amine content of foods, fried or charbroiled hamburg ers, fried chicken, chicken breast sandwiches, fish sandwiches and bre akfast sausages were purchased from fast-food restaurants. At least th ree different chains were visited per product and samples from five st ores from each chain were pooled. The solid-phase extraction and HPLC method was used to analyse pooled samples for heterocyclic amine conte nt and mutagenic activity with the Ames/Salmonella assay. Samples were analysed in a blind study which also contained quality control sample s of two types, one high and one low in heterocyclic amine content and mutagenic activity. Results from the fast-food products showed undete ctable levels of heterocyclic amines in 10 of 17 samples and only low levels [less than or equal to 1 ng/g total of 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimid azo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx), 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b] pyridine (PhIP) and 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline ( DiMeIQx)] in the remaining samples. Compared with literature values ba sed primarily on laboratory and home cooking conditions, fast-food mea t products appear to contribute only a small percentage of the estimat ed daily dietary intake of heterocyclic amines.