The influence of the anticaking agent potassium ferrocyanide and salt on the oxidative stability of frozen minced pork meat

Abstract

The anticaking agent potassium ferrocyanide, K 4Fe(CN) 6, was found to affect lipid oxidation in frozen, minced pork meat both in ‘normal’ concentrations, when added together with food grade salt to yield 2 % NaCl in the product, and in ‘unrealistic’ high concentrations added separately or together with analytical grade salt. The level of K 4Fe(CN) 6 obtained from adding 2 % food grade salt accelerated the development of lipid hydroperoxides, but affected the development of TBARS to a lesser degree. High level of K 4Fe(CN) 6 seems to protect hydroperoxides from degradation to secondary lipid oxidation products measured as TBARS. The use of salt with the anticaking agent, K 4Fe(CN) 6, in meat processing should be reconsidered for each product since it may enhance lipid oxidation. A mechanism for mediation by the Fe(CN) 6 4− Fe(CN) 6 3− redox couple of pigment-catalysed lipid oxidation is suggested, based on an observed correlation between oxymyoglobin oxidation (measured as tristimulus colorimetric parameter, a) and lipid oxidation (measured as TBARS) for the frozen pork patties.