Contents of biologically active polyamines in chicken meat, liver, heart and skin after slaughter and their changes during meat storage and cooking

Dietary polyamines, putrescine, spermidine (SPD) and spermine (SPM), participate in all array Of important physiological roles, including tumour growth. Thus, reliable information oil polyamine content in foods has been needed. We therefore determined polyamine contents in chilled chicken meat and giblets (n = 20) and skin (n = 10) 24 h after slaughter. The polyamines were determined, after extraction with perchloric acid, as dansyl derivatives, using an HPLC method. Mean SPD Values were 4.8, 10.2, 11.4, 48.7 and 12.1 mg kg(-1) and SPM values were 36.8, 38.0, 24.3, 133 and 82.7 ring kg 1 in breast, thigh, skin, liver and heart, respectively. Significant statistical correlations between SPD and SPM contents were observed in breast. thigh, skin and liver. whereas correlations were insignificant in heart. Ail increase of SPD and SPM was apparent in breasts and thighs stored at 18 degrees C for 6 months: however, it was significant only for SPM in thighs. The losses of both SPD and SPM were statistically insignificant during storage of aerobically packaged breasts up to 9 days at +2 degrees C, A significant decrease of SPM to about 60% of the initial contents was observed ill both vacuum-packaged and in modified atmosphere (20% CO2 and 80% O-2)-stored breasts on day 21 at +2 degrees C, For both SPD and SPM, roasting. grilling and frying of fresh breasts caused losses of about 40-60% of the initial contents (higher than boiling and stowing). Similarly, losses of SPM, due to roasting of breasts frozen for 3 or 6 months, were higher than those caused by stowing. Putrescine was detected only sporadically and at levels close to the detection limit of 1.0 mg kg(-1) (fresh matter). (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.