A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF MALONDIALDEHYDE CONTENTS OF SOME MEAT AND FISH SAMPLES PROCESSED BY DIFFERENT METHODS

Abstract

The effect of different processing methods on the malondialdehyde, MDA c ontents of 7 popular samples of fresh meat and fish eaten in Nigeria, was investigated. The MDA levels were assayed in a colorimetric reaction with thiobarbituric acid in fresh samples of beef, pork, turkey, chicken, snail, catfish and goat meat p rocessed by boiling, frying , roasting and freezing . Results obtained showed that all processing methods led to significant increases in MDA contents of the samples studied relative to their fresh, unprocessed counterparts (p goat meat > catfish > turkey > chicken > snail > pork. The MDA content of frozen mackerel was significantly increased by boili ng and frying and by further freezing (p < 0.05). These results suggest that while all th e processing methods may be unsafe, the frying of boiled meat and fish may be particularly deleterious to consumer health, in view of the well known mutagenic and carcinogenic effects of MDA .