The effect of heat treatment on the cholesterol oxides, cholesterol, total lipid and fatty acid contents of processed meat products

The effects of heat treatment on the formation of cholesterol oxides and on alterations of fatty acid composition were investigated in processed meat products. Meatballs (beef), hamburger (beef and Chester), sausage (pork, chicken and Chester) and frankfurter (mixed meat, chicken and Chester) were analysed. There was no cholesterol oxide formation caused by heat treatment of the samples analysed. The fatty acid compositions, calculated as g/100 g sample, showed alterations only between the raw and grilled beef hamburger. Only the cholesterol levels were significantly changed when comparing the raw and grilled pork sausages and the raw and grilled Chester hamburger, the values being lower in the grilled samples. Also, the total lipid contents of grilled beef hamburgers were lower than the values.