ANTIOXIDANT SYNERGISM BETWEEN TOCOPHEROLS AND ASCORBYL PALMITATE IN COOKED, MINCED TURKEY

In an attempt to reduce oxidative deterioration, including the develop ment of warmed-over flavour (WOF), in cooked, minced turkey meat, a co mbined strategy using natural antioxidants and modified atmosphere pac kaging (MAP) was adapted. Tocopherols (200 ppm) each significantly red uced lipid oxidation during 9 days of cold storage (5-degrees-C), meas ured as 2-thiobarbituric-acid-reactive substances (TBARS). Synergism b etween the two antioxidants was demonstrated as an increasing relative reduction in TBARS values over time when both antioxidants were added , as opposed to the almost constant relative reduction when only one a ntioxidant was added. Notably, this synergism depended on the availabi lity of O2, and was found to be most significant for atmospheric packa ging (21% O2, 79% N2) and most significant towards the end of the stor age period. A reduced O2 content in the packages (mixture of O2 and N2 , initially: 1.0% O2 or 0.03% O2) had a more pronounced effect on oxid ative deterioration than addition of antioxidants. However, during the 9 days of storage, meat balls with the synergistic mixture added, and packed in 1% O2, had TBARS values of 50 compared to 270 mumol malondi aldehyde/kg for meat balls without antioxidants packed in 21% O2. This level of reduction in lipid oxidation is comparable with that of meat balls without antioxidants packed in a virtually O2-free atmosphere.