IRON DISTRIBUTION IN HEATED BEEF AND CHICKEN MUSCLES

Distribution of iron in six fractions (water-soluble, water-insoluble, diffusate, hematin, total heme, and ferritin) of beef and chicken mus cles heated to 55, 70, 85, and 100-degrees-C was determined. Iron cont ent decreased in water-soluble fractions and increased in water-insolu ble fractions as temperature increased from 27-degrees-C to 100-degree s-C. Heme iron decreased more from 55-degrees-C to 85-degrees-C than f rom 27-degrees-C to 55-degrees-C or 85-degrees-C to 100-degrees-C. The increase in diffusate iron appeared to be less than the decrease in h eme iron at each heating temperature. As temperature increased from 27 -degrees-C to 100-degrees-C, hematin iron content increased and extrac table ferritin iron content decreased. These findings may help explain rapid development of oxidative rancidity in cooked meat.