EFFECT OF APPLE POLYPHENOL ON OXIDATIVE STABILITY OF SLICED COOKED CURED BEEF AND PORK HAMS DURING CHILLED STORAGE

The effects of apple polyphenol (AP) on color, lipid and protein oxidation in sliced cooked cured hams (SCCHs) made of pork and beef during chilled storage were investigated. SCCH samples with no antioxidant added and those treated with vitamin C were used as controls. The results indicated that addition of 500 ppm AP to the samples significantly inhibited discoloration in pork SCCH, but not in beef; all the AP treatments (with 300, 500 and 1,000 ppm AP) successfully inhibited lipid oxidation of both pork and beef SCCHs with the lipid of pork SCCH more effectively protected than that of beef SCCH. However, no effect on protein oxidation as measured carbonyl group accumulation was observed in both pork and beef SCCH treated with AP at the dose used in this study. AP was generally an effective antioxidant. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS The results of the present study indicate that apple polyphenol (AP) may be used to retain the quality of hams in chilled storage and of other meat products in quality storage. However, different concentrations of AP have different effects on stored meat products, and the same concentration of AP may produce different effects on different meat products. Therefore, a test should be performed before application of AP to a specific meat product in meat industry.