Prevention of mutagen formation in heated meats and model systems.

Possible means for preventing mutagen formation in cooked meats and in heated model systems are described. One way to reduce mutagenicity in cooked meats is to control cooking temperature, time and method. Another way is to increase water content or to avoid loss of water in meats during cooking. Addition of an excessive amount of reducing sugars to meats before cooking is effective in minimizing mutagen formation, which may be due to suppression of generation of the pyrazine cation radical Maillard intermediate of heterocyclic amines. Addition of a small amount of ascorbate or erythorbate is also effective, which may be the result of scavenging the intermediary pyrazine cation radical.