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Braised meat products are kinds of popular traditional meat food in China. However, current data on the formation of Amino‐carboline congeners Heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) and the inhibitory methods in braised meat products are limited. In the present study, the inhibition effect of turmeric and curcumin on the formation of β‐carboline heterocyclic aromatic amines in braised meat were investigated. And the preliminary mechanism of curcumin inhibiting the formation of β‐carboline heterocyclic amines was also explored in the chemical model. The results indicated that 5% of turmeric could significantly inhibit the formation of harman (94.8%) and norharman (49.56%) in braised meat, and curcumin was one of the key active compound accounting for this effect. In the tryptophan model, 0.05 mmol of curcumin significantly inhibited the formation of norharman and harman by over 70% (p < .05). Further investigation indicated that curcumin inhibited the formation of β‐carboline heterocyclic amines mainly by inhibiting the formation of carbonyl compounds and 1,2,3,4‐Tetrahydro‐β‐carboline‐3‐carboxylic acid and scavenging β‐carboline HAAs. These results could provide a natural spice‐based method for reducing heterocyclic aromatic amines in Chinese tradition braised meat products.

Background Consuming red and processed meat has been associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC), which is partly attributed to exposure to carcinogens such as heterocyclic amines (HCA) formed during cooking and preservation processes. The interaction of gut microbes and HCA can result in altered bioactivities and it has been shown previously that human gut microbiota can transform mutagenic HCA to a glycerol conjugate with reduced mutagenic potential. However, the major form of HCA in the colon are glucuronides (HCA-G) and it is not known whether these metabolites, via stepwise microbial hydrolysis and acrolein conjugation, are viable precursors for glycerol conjugated metabolites. We hypothesized that such a process could be concurrently catalyzed by bacterial beta-glucuronidase (B-GUS) and glycerol/diol dehydratase (GDH) activity. We therefore investigated how the HCA-G PhIP-N2-β-D-glucuronide (PhIP-G), a representative liver metabolite of PhIP (2-Amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo [4,5- b ] pyridine), which is the most abundant carcinogenic HCA in well-cooked meat, is transformed by enzymatic activity of human gut microbial representatives of the phyla Firmicutes , Bacteroidetes , and Proteobacteria . Results We employed a combination of growth and enzymatic assays, and a bioanalysis approach combined with metagenomics . B-GUS of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii converted PhIP-G to PhIP and GDH of Flavonifractor plautii , Blautia obeum , Eubacterium hallii , and Lactobacillus reuteri converted PhIP to PhIP-M1 in the presence of glycerol. In addition, B-GUS- and GDH-positive bacteria cooperatively converted PhIP-G to PhIP-M1. A screen of genes encoding B-GUS and GDH was performed for fecal microbiome data from healthy individuals ( n  = 103) and from CRC patients ( n = 53), which revealed a decrease in abundance of taxa with confirmed GDH and HCA transformation activity in CRC patients. Conclusions This study for the first time demonstrates that gut microbes mediate the stepwise transformation of PhIP-G to PhIP-M1 via the intermediate production of PhIP. Findings from this study suggest that targeted manipulation with gut microbes bearing specific functions, or dietary glycerol supplementation might modify gut microbial activity to reduce HCA-induced CRC risk.

The aim of the present work was to evaluate different structures of flavonoids interfering with the cytotoxicity of heterocyclic amines (HCA). Eight flavonoids with similar structure including myricetin, rutin, fisetin, quercetin, myricetrin, quercetrin, kaempferol, and galangin were coincubated with 2‐amino‐4‐methylimidazo[4,5‐f]quinolone (IQ) respectively to determine the cytotoxicity. The results revealed that IQ at low doses showed no cytotoxicity; however, in the presence of myricetin and rutin, the cytotoxicity significantly elevated. It seems that C‐3′, C‐4′, C‐5′, and C‐5 hydroxyl substituents on the flavonoid skeleton of B ring play important role in the increasing cytotoxicity induced by IQ in HepG2 cells. Interestingly, the data obtained from the present study revealed an unexpected adverse effect of the supposed beneficial food ingredient myricetin, which appears to be able to increase the cytotoxicity of the procarcinogen HCA.

The effects of different grilling methods and tea marinades on the formation of heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) in grilled chicken drumsticks were investigated. This study showed that both the grilling method and type of charcoal used in charcoal grilling had a significant effect on the formation of HCAs and BaP. The total content of HCAs and BaP detected in drumsticks was the lowest under electric roasting, at 7.25 and 0.04 ng/g, respectively; thus, the electric grill can be used as an alternative grilling method to meet consumer demands for safety. The free radical scavenging ability of tea infusion was significantly higher than that of spice infusion. The white tea marinade significantly increased radical scavenging activity and prevented formation of HCAs and BaP more than the green tea marinade; thus, tea marinade can be applied to flavoring as a pretreatment to preserve the quality of meat and to decrease the generation of HCAs and BaP during cooking.

In this study, we aimed to investigate the inhibitory effects of cumin and cumin extracts from different origins (Hami, Turpan, and Hetian) on the formation of β-carboline heterocyclic amines (HCAs) in smoked meat and simulated systems, and to assess their potential as natural inhibitors in the food industry. The novelty of our research lies in the comprehensive comparative analysis of cumin extracts from different origins, which has not been fully explored in previous studies. We first conducted a quantitative analysis of the total phenol and flavonoid content in cumin extracts from the three origins and evaluated their antioxidant capacities. Subsequently, through simulation experiments, we assessed the inhibitory effects of these extracts on the formation of β-carboline heterocyclic amines and determined their free radical scavenging abilities. To further validate the practical application potential of these extracts, we prepared meat patty samples containing different concentrations of cumin powder, simulating actual processing conditions. The experimental results showed that while the total phenol content in cumin extracts from all origins was similar, averaging around 1.56 mg/g, there was a significant difference in the total flavonoid content, with the highest level observed in the Hetian cumin extract at 6.7 mg/g. Additionally, the Hetian cumin extract demonstrated superior antioxidant capacity, with an FRAP antioxidant activity reaching 21.04 μM TE/g dw, the highest among all samples. Our study also found that the inhibitory effect of cumin extracts on HCA formation was closely related to their free radical scavenging ability, with the Hetian cumin extract showing the strongest scavenging capacity. The addition of cumin powder to meat patties significantly reduced the content of β-carboline heterocyclic amines, particularly at lower cumin concentrations. In summary, our research results highlight the potential of cumin, especially from Hetian, as a natural inhibitor of β-carboline heterocyclic amine formation in processed meats. This study not only provides the food industry with a potential natural additive to improve food safety and quality, but also offers new directions for future research, namely by comparing natural plant extracts from different origins to explore their potential applications in food processing.

Toxic compounds such as heterocyclic amines (HAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) can be produced during food processing, especially meat products. This study aims to monitor the formation of HAs and PAHs in fried pork fiber, a common meat product in Taiwan, at different processing conditions. A total of six experimental groups, including raw pork tenderloin, dried pork filaments, sesame oil-stir-fried pork at 160 °C for 15 min, sesame oil-stir-fried pork at 200 °C for 6 min, lard-stir-fried pork at 160 °C for 15 min, and lard-stir-fried pork at 200 °C for 6 min, were prepared and analyzed for formation of HAs via UPLC-MS/MS and PAHs via GC-MS/MS in triplicate. Frying in sesame oil or lard showed a greater content of total HAs in fried pork fiber processed at 160 °C for 15 min than at 200 °C for 6 min. However, in the same heating conditions, pork fiber fried in sesame oil produced a higher level of total HAs than that fried in lard. Of the various HAs in fried pork fiber, both Harman and Norharman were generated in the highest amount. The precursors, including reducing sugar, amino acid, and creatine/creatinine, played a vital role in HAs formation in fried pork fiber. For total PAHs, the highest level was shown for pork fiber fried in lard at 200 °C/6 min, followed by frying in sesame oil at 200 °C/6 min and 160 °C/15 min, and in lard at 160 °C/15 min. Like HAs, at the same heating condition, a greater content of total PAHs was produced in pork fiber fried in sesame oil than in lard. Notably, the highly toxic benzo[a]pyrene was undetected in fried pork fiber. The PAH precursor benzaldehyde was shown to generate at a much higher level than 2-cyclohexene-1-one and trans,trans-2,4-decadienal in fried pork fiber, and it should play a more important role in PAH formation. Principal component analysis (PCA) also revealed that the formation mechanism of HAs and PAHs in fried pork fiber was different.

This study aims to explore the effects of frying conditions on the formation of HAs and PAHs in crispy pork spareribs, a popular meat commodity sold on Taiwan’s market. Raw pork spareribs were marinated, coated with sweet potato powder, and fried in soybean oil and palm oil at 190 °C/6 min or 150 °C/12 min, followed by an analysis of HAs and PAHs via QuEChERS coupled with UPLC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS, respectively. Both HAs and PAHs in pork spareribs during frying followed a temperature- and time-dependent rise. A total of 7 HAs (20.34–25.97 μg/kg) and 12 PAHs (67.69–85.10 μg/kg) were detected in pork spareribs fried in soybean oil and palm oil at 150 °C/12 min or 190 °C/6 min, with palm oil producing a higher level of total HAs and a lower level of total PAHs than soybean oil. The content changes of amino acid, reducing sugar, and creatinine played a vital role in affecting HA formation, while the degree of oil unsaturation and the contents of precursors including benzaldehyde, 2-cyclohexene-1-one, and trans,trans-2,4-decadienal showed a crucial role in affecting PAH formation. The principal component analysis revealed that HAs and PAHs were formed by different mechanisms, with the latter being more liable to formation in pork spareribs during frying, while the two-factorial analysis indicated that the interaction between oil type and frying condition was insignificant for HAs and PAHs generated in crispy pork spareribs. Both CcdP (22.67–32.78 μg/kg) and Pyr (16.70–22.36 μg/kg) dominated in PAH formation, while Harman (14.46–17.91 μg/kg) and Norharman (3.41–4.55 μg/kg) dominated in HA formation in crispy pork spareribs during frying. The outcome of this study forms a basis for learning both the variety and content of HAs and PAHs generated during the frying of pork spareribs and the optimum frying condition to minimize their formation.

Tamarix ramosissima has been widely used as barbecue skewers for the good taste and unique flavor it gives to the meat, but the effects of T. ramosissima on heterocyclic amine (HA) formation in roast lamb are unknown. The influence of T. ramosissima extract (TRE) on HA formation, precursors’ consumption, and free radicals’ generation in roast lamb patties were elucidated by UPLC-MS, HPLC, and electron spin resonance (ESR) analysis, respectively. Six HAs were identified and compared with the control group; the total and polar HAs decreased by 30.51% and 56.92% with TRE addition at 0.30 g/kg. The highest inhibitory effect was found against 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-f]pyridine (PhIP) formation (70.83%) at 0.45 g/kg. The addition of TRE retarded the consumption of HA precursors, resulting in fewer HAs formed. The typical signal intensity of free radicals in roast lamb patties significantly decreased with TRE addition versus the control group (p < 0.05), and the higher the levels of the TRE, the greater the decrease in signal intensity. We propose that the inhibitory effects of TRE on HA formation, especially on polar HAs, were probably achieved by retarding the consumption of precursors and preventing free radicals from being generated in roast lamb patties. These findings provide valuable information concerning TRE’s effectiveness in preventing HA formation through both the precursor consumption and free radical scavenging mechanisms.

This study investigated the effects of fermented food consumption on the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) related to processed meat intake using a mouse model. Processed meat products and fermented foods were supplemented to analyze heterocyclic amines (HCA) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels and the gut microbiota in mice. The study determined age to be a non‐influential factor. While HCAs were detected in all the processed meat samples, no CRC development was observed, even when they consumed excessive amounts of these processed meats, either alone or in combination with fermented foods. Bacteroides and Alistipes were the most predominant gut microbiota. Kimchi, soybean paste, and red pepper paste showed a decreasing trend in the ratio of these bacteria associated with gut inflammation, but the results were inconclusive because this trend was inconsistent. Therefore, this study found that fermented foods did not significantly affect CRC risk indicators associated with dietary processed meat intake, regardless of age. This study wanted to determine the short‐term but high consumption of processed meat effects on the CEA levels and colorectal cancer development in mice. As a result, the high consumption of processed meat with or without fermented food did not significantly affect the CEA levels and gut microbiota diversity of the subjects. This suggests that processed meat, even at high amounts, did not increase the risk of colorectal cancer, evident on the normal CEA levels and absence of colorectal cancer signs on the colon.

In this study, the 10-year dietary habits of patients diagnosed with cancer (n = 1155) were retrospectively analyzed, and the relationships between dietary (red meat, white meat, fish meat, French fries, bread, instant coffee, ready-to-drink coffee, Turkish coffee, and black tea) heterocyclic amines, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, acrylamide, and N-nitrosamine-based risk scores and cancer types were statistically evaluated. The foods with the highest and lowest mean dietary heat-treatment contaminant risk scores were red meat and ready-to-drink coffee, respectively. There were statistically significant differences in the dietary heat-treatment contamination risk scores based on the cancer patients’ demographic characteristics (sex, age, smoking, and body mass index) (p < 0.05). According to the cancer types, the systems with the highest and lowest dietary heat-treatment contaminant risk scores were determined as other (brain, thyroid, lymphatic malignancies, skin, oro- and hypopharynx, and hematology) and the reproductive (breast, uterus, and ovary) system, respectively. The relationship between instant coffee consumption and respiratory system cancer types, the frequency of consumption of French fries and urinary system cancer types and the consumption of meat products and gastrointestinal system cancer types were determined. It is thought that this study contains important findings regarding the relationship between dietary habits and cancer and will be a good source for other studies to be conducted in this context.