Heme and total iron in ready-to-eat chicken

Distribution of heme and total iron in heat-processed poultry products was investigated with light and dark chicken meat in the form of deep fried chicken breasts and legs purchased from fast food restaurants and grocery stores. Heme iron content was determined by the Hornsey method, and total iron was determined with Ferrozine on a wet-ashed digest. The heme and total iron were respectively, 1.7 +/- 0.5 and 6.5 +/- 2.0 mu g Fe/g meat (mean +/- SD) for light chicken meat and 7.6 +/- 1.6 and 19.3 +/- 2.2 mu g/g for dark chicken meat. Heme iron values averaged 29 and 40% for light and dark chicken meat, respectively.