Formation of advanced glycation end-products in minced pork during frozen-then-chilled storage and subsequent heating.

The influences of frozen-then-chilled storage of minced pork on the formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) including N-carboxymethyllysine and N-carboxyethyllysine, and their corresponding α-dicarbonyl precursors (α-DPs; glyoxal and methylglyoxal) during storage and subsequent heating were investigated in comparison with chilled storage. During cold storage, the levels of AGEs, trichloroacetic acid-soluble peptides, and Schiff bases in minced pork continuously increased while α-DPs decreased. The 30 min heating (100 °C) resulted in 64-560% increase of AGEs in pork, corresponding with an increase of Schiff bases and decreases of α-DPs. Compared to the chilled storage, the frozen-then-chilled storage led to no significant difference (P > 0.05) on the levels of AGEs and α-DPs in raw or heat-treated pork, implying that the formation and thawing of ice crystals in pork during the frozen-then-chilled storage had minor to no effects on the formation of AGEs and their α-DPs.