The Effect of Frying Process on the Level of Malondialdehyde in Different Meat Products

  Background: Frying is one of the popular cooking methods for the preparation of food especially meat products. However, this process has some adverse effects, such as lipid oxidation that results in deterioration and rancidity of food during preparation and storage. Malondialdehyde (MDA) as a secondary product of oxidation is commonly used as an index of rancidity in food products. However, the level of MDA produced during the frying process varies depending on the type of food. Methods: This study was performed to evaluate the levels of MDA before and after the frying process in different products, including chicken, fish, pan kebab, beef, sausage, and hamburger. Also, the effect of meat content in hamburger was evaluated on the MDA level. The spectrophotometric thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) test was used to determine MDA in the food products. Results: The concentration of MDA in the products increased significantly (P < 0.01) after frying in oil. The highest amount of MDA between the products was detected in fried fish (1.24 µM/g). By increasing the percentage of meat in hamburgers, the content of MDA increased in this product. In the hamburger containing 90% of meat, the MDA level was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than others (0.98 µM/g). Conclusion: The results of the present study can provide proper knowledge about the levels of lipid peroxidation and the safety of different fried meat products.