PROXIMATE ANALYSIS, FREE AMINO ACID, VITAMIN AND MINERAL CONTENT OF MICROWAVE COOKED MEAT

Abstract

ABSTRACTBeef, pork and lamb roasts were cooked by two 2450 MHz microwave ranges, one operated at 220V (1054W cooking power) and one at 11SV (492W cooking power) and by a conventional gas oven (163 ± 3°C). The only significant effect related to power level of microwave ranges was retention of thiamine, riboflavin and niacin which was less in meat cooked by the microwave 115 V than by the other two methods. There was a trend toward less retention of sodium, chloride, phosphorus and iron in meat cooked by microwaves than by the conventional method. Also, microwave cooking resulted in less formation of free amino acids than conventional cooking but total protein did not differ significantly.