Our aim was to develop a method for accurate quantification of malondialdehyde (MDA) in meat products.
MDA content of uncured ground pork (Control); ground pork cured with sodium nitrite (Nitrite);
and ground pork cured with sodium nitrite, sodium chloride, sodium pyrophosphate, maltodextrin,
and a sausage seasoning (Mix) was measured by the 2-thiobarbituric acid (TBA) assay with MDA extraction
by trichloroacetic acid (method A) and two high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods:
i) HPLC separation of the MDA-dinitrophenyl hydrazine adduct (method B) and ii) HPLC separation
of MDA (method C) after MDA extraction with acetonitrile. Methods A and B could not quantify MDA
accurately in groups Nitrite and Mix. Nevertheless, MDA in groups Control, Nitrite, and Mix was accurately
quantified by method C with good recovery. Therefore, direct MDA quantification by HPLC after
MDA extraction with acetonitrile (method C) is useful for accurate measurement of MDA content in processed
meat products