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

The anticaking agent potassium ferrocyanide, K4Fe(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 K4Fe(CN)(6) obtained from adding 2% food grade salt accelerated the development of lipid hydroperoxides, but affected the development of TEARS to a lesser degree. High level of K4Fe(CN)6 seems to protect hydroperoxides from degradation to secondary lipid oxidation products measured as TBARS. The use of salt with the anticaking agent, K4Fe(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. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd