Investigation of the levels of N(τ)-methylhistidine in a range of pork and chicken meats.

Protein bound N(τ)-methylhistidine (N-MeHis) has been suggested as an index for the estimation of muscle (meat) protein in meat and meat products. This paper examines the level of N-MeHis in a range of five pork and two chicken prime cuts together with five other pork and one chicken manufacturing cuts of meat. It is shown that whilst similar levels are present in the prime cuts there is a considerable variation in those found in the other cuts. The average N-MeHis level, expressed as μg/g fat-free connective tissue-free (FFCF) meat, was 116 for pork, 116 for chicken breast and 129 for chicken leg. From the other pork cuts investigated, only two gave levels similar to that for prime pork whilst the rest were all considerably lower. Chicken MRM gave an N-MeHis level 75% of that for (combined) leg and breast meat. Since all these meat cuts are regarded as legitimate meat materials in the UK, there would appear to be serious drawbacks to the use of N-MeHis as a quantitative index of lean meat.