Degradation of PCBs in a frankfurter-type meat emulsion: Effects of a meat starter, its proteins extract and thermal treatments

• Published in: Food and chemical toxicology Vol. 50; no. 8; pp. 2643 - 2647
• Main Authors: Lušnic, M., Polak, T., Gašperlin, L., Absec, A., Kirinčič, S., Kozolc, B., Žlender, B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; cooling; Degradation; Emulsions; Food Handling; heat treatment; hexane; Meat; Meat emulsion; meat emulsions; Meat Products - analysis; Meat Products - microbiology; Meat starter culture; Medical sciences; Polychlorinated biphenyls; Polychlorinated Biphenyls - chemistry; Proteins; Proteins - chemistry; Raw; raw meat; Staphylococcus; Staphylococcus carnosus; Staphylococcus xylosus; Starters; Temperature; Thermal treatment; Toxicology; Degradation; PCBs; Meat emulsion; EPA; Polychlorinated biphenyls; μECD; GC; Meat starter culture; AOAC; Thermal treatment; Biochemical compound; Polychlorobiphenyls; Extract; Protein; Meat; Emulsion; Treatment; Chlorine Organic compounds; Halogen Organic compounds; Food
• ISSN: 0278-6915; 1873-6351
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2012.05.042

► Conditions usually used in the industry were closely paralleled. ► A commercial meat starter was used instead of isolated microorganisms. ► The experimental medium used for the investigation of PCBs degradation was a frankfurter-type meat emulsion. ► The commercial meat starter and its protein extract promote the degradation of PCB congeners. ► Thermal treatment promotes increased degradation of the PCBs content, compared to the raw meat emulsions. The degradation of a series of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners (PCBs 10, 28, 52, 138, 153, 180) in meat emulsions of a frankfurter type was investigated. With a pool of these PCBs added to the meat emulsion, three initial experimental groups were used: no further addition, or plus a commercial meat starter (containing Staphylococcus xylosus and Staphylococcus carnosus), or plus the protein extract from this commercial meat starter. Prior to further treatments, these samples were incubated for 72h at 4°C. These meat emulsions were then either left at 4°C (raw) or thermally treated to two different internal temperatures: 78 and 100°C. Following cooling and a further 24h at 4°C, all of the samples were extracted with hexane to recover the PCB residues, following method EPA 608, with some modifications. The addition into the meat emulsion of the commercial meat starter and the proteins extract both affected PCB degradation. Also, the effects of thermal treatment at both temperatures saw the PCB contents successfully reduced, as compared to the raw meat emulsions.