EFFECTS OF TOCOPHEROLS AND BETA-CAROTENE ON BEEF PATTIES OXIDATION

The effect of a tocopherol mixture (mainly composed of gamma and delta isomers) and beta-carotene on lipid oxidation in cooked beef patties was studied. Ground beef was mixed with each or both compounds at desi gnated concentrations. After mixing, cooking and storing at 4 +/- 1C f or 0, 2 and 5 days, the 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TEA RS) and hexanal peak areas were determined. The results slowed that be ta-carotene had no antioxidant activity in this system. The tocopherol mixture at 200 ppm level slowed down the lipid oxidation by 56.7% for 2 days and 61% for 5 days of storage in cooked meat at 4 +/- 1C, resp ectively.