OXYGEN AVAILABILITY AFFECTS PROOXIDANT CATALYZED LIPID OXIDATION OF COOKED TURKEY PATTIES

The catalytic effect of free ionic iron, hemoglobin and/or NaCl, and the effect of total lipid, class of lipid, and fatty acid composition on lipid oxidation of precooked refrigerated meat patties were highly significant only when oxygen was freely accessible to the patties during storage. With limited oxygen contact (cold vacuum-packaging) after cooking, the 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) values of patties were much lower than the values for patties with free oxygen contact (loose packaging) and did not increase substantially during storage. However, the TBARS values of cold packaged patties were higher (p<0.05) than those of hot packaged patties which had almost no oxygen contact after cooking. Elimination of oxygen during storage (hot or cold vacuum-packaging after cooking) resulted in prooxidants, fat content, fatty acid composition or the class of lipids having no effect on lipid oxidation.