The effect of α-tocopherol and butylated hydroxyanisole on the colour properties and lipid oxidation of kavurma, a cooked meat product

Kavurma is a cooked meat product and is consumed sliced. The amount of animal fat in kavurma (30-40%) is higher than in other meat products; therefore, lipid oxidation and colour defects are a major problem during storage and in the market place. To preserve the quality characteristics of kavurma in markets antioxidants must be added and the product must be packaged and stored at low temperature. In this study, the effects of alpha-tocopherol and butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) levels on lipid oxidation and colour deterioration of sliced and vacuum-packaged kavurma were investigated. Kavurma was made from beef meat and melted beef fat in 5 groups: No-added antioxidant, 50 mg/kg BHA, 100 mg/kg BHA, 50 mg/kg alpha-tocopherol and 100 mg/kg alpha-tocopherol. The kavurma produced was sliced (3-4-cm thick) and vacuum packed and stored at 4 degrees C for 300 days, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance, pH, moisture, lightness, redness and yellowness values of sliced product were determined during storage. The use of antioxidants in kavurma production caused a significant (P < 0.01) decrease in the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) values. The lipid oxidative stability effect of the antioxidants was in following order: 100 mg/kg BHA > 100 mg/kg alpha-tocopherol > 50 mg/kg BHA = 50 mg/kg alpha-tocopherol > no-added antioxidant group. Also, TBARS values did not differ significantly (P > 0.05) between 0 and 300 days in the 100 mg/kg BHA and 100 mg/kg alpha-tocopherol groups. In addition, the no-added antioxidant group had lower lightness and yellowness values than all the antioxidant groups. Sliced and vacuum-packaged kavurma with added antioxidant showed greater colour and lipid oxidative stability during storage than kavurma to which no antioxidant was added.