OXYGEN AVAILABILITY AFFECTS PROOXIDANT CATALYZED LIPID OXIDATION OF COOKED TURKEY PATTIES

The catalytic effect of free ionic iron, hemoglobin and/or NaCl, and t he effect of total lipid, class of lipid, and fatty acid composition o n lipid oxidation of precooked refrigerated meat patties were highly s ignificant only when oxygen was freely accessible to the patties durin g storage. With limited oxygen contact (cold vacuum-packaging) after c ooking, the 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) values o f patties were much lower than the values for patties with free oxygen contact (loose packaging) and did not increase substantially during s torage. However, the TBARS values of cold packaged patties were higher (p<0.05) than those of hot packaged patties which had almost no oxyge n contact after cooking. Elimination of oxygen during storage (hot or cold vacuum-packaging after cooking) resulted in prooxidants, fat cont ent, fatty acid composition or the class of lipids having no effect on lipid oxidation.