Heterocyclic aromatic amines content in chicken burgers and chicken nuggets sold in fast food restaurants and effects of green tea extract and microwave thawing on their formation

Abstract

The aims of the study were to investigate the presence of heterocyclic aromatic amines (HCAs) in chicken burgers (CBs) and chicken nuggets (CNs) purchased from fast food restaurants and the effects of green tea extract addition (GTE) into the covering material as well as microwave thawing (MT) on HCAs formation in CBs and CNs. Analysis of HCAs (IQx, IQ, MeIQx, MeIQ, 7,8-DiMeIQx, 4,8-DiMeIQx, PhIP, AαC, and MeAαC) were performed using HPLC-DAD following solid phase extraction. While the total HCAs content varied between not quantified—9.72 ng/g meat and 1.94–22.01 ng/g meat for commercial CBs and CNs, it ranged between not quantified—3.42 ng/g meat and not quantified—0.31 ng/g meat for CBs and CNs produced in the laboratory, respectively. Commercial CBs and CNs contained high amounts of HCAs, with MeIQx being the dominant HCA in all analyzed samples however, GTE and MT did not reduce the HCAs formation in CBs and CNs. Practical applications Widely consumed fast food chicken products; chicken burgers and chicken nuggets contain high amounts of HCAs. That much HCA concentration in chicken burgers and chicken nuggets can endanger the public health seriously.