Mass spectrometry in food processing for safety & quality improvement

Long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) such as arachidonic acid (AA) or eicosapentaenoic acid are direct precursors of eicosanoids. Furthermore, a couple of other LCPUFAs exert biological activity via lipoxygenase reaction or conversion to isoprostanes by radical induced reaction. Therefore, it has been shown that trans-isomers of LCPUFAs may influence the bioactivity of the LCPUFA pool in the body. In this study we focused on the question, if such isomers could be formed in frying or baking conditions of foods rich in arachidonic acid (C20:4n6). AA is the precursor of the biologically most potent eicosanoids and is abundant in a variety of foods of animal origin that are traditionally used for baking or frying, such as pork meat, liver and eggs. A method was developed for measuring arachidonic acid trans isomers in meat foods valuing the real production of PUFA trans-isomers during the food technological processes. The meat food products analysis of trans arachidonic acid isomers after the application of different processing temperature during increasing times showed in ever samples a develop of trans isomers proportional to the hardness of the technological process.