| Abstract: | Non-enzymic browning (NEB) of a traditional intermediate moisture meat (den-deng) and dehydrated meat was measured by both aqueous trypsin digestion and lead acetate-ethanol precipitation methods. Trypsin digestion did not interfere with NEB determination, and the addition of a glucose-glycine NEB mixture to dendeng had no effect on NEB measured by the lead acetate-ethanol precipitation method. Comparison of NEB measurements by the lead acetate-ethanol precipitation method and an aqueous trypsin digestion method on dendeng containing added myoglobin and/or haem pigments showed that only the lead acetate-ethanol precipitation method overcame errors which were due to the presence of these pigments. Spice pigments present in dendeng also interfered and led to high NEB values, while NEB increased markedly in the presence of coconut sugar. Results for NEB of dendeng and dehydrated meat stored for up to 12 weeks at 50°C were lower when measured by the lead acetate-ethanol precipitation method compared to results by the aqueous trypsin digestion method, although both methods showed that NEB increased with storage time. |
