Inhibitory effects of pomegranate seed extract on the formation of heterocyclic aromatic amines in beef and chicken meatballs after cooking by four different methods

• Beef and chicken meatballs containing 0.5% (w/w) pomegranate seed extract were prepared.
• Four different cooking methods (oven roasting, pan cooking, charcoal-barbecue and deep-fat frying) were used.
• Inhibitory effect of pomegranate seed extract on the formation of heterocyclic aromatic amines was investigated for the first time.
• The highest inhibitory effects were in deep-fat fried beef meatball and chicken meatball.

Beef and chicken meatballs with a 0.5% (w/w) pomegranate seed extract were cooked using four different cooking methods (oven roasting, pan cooking, charcoal-barbecue, and deep-fat frying) and six heterocyclic aromatic amines; IQ, MeIQx, 4,8-DiMeIQx, PhIP, norharman, and harman were observed. In the beef meatballs, the highest inhibitory effects of pomegranate seed extract on heterocyclic aromatic amines formation were 68% for PhIP, 24% for norharman, 18% for harman, 45% for IQ, and 57% for MeIQx. Total heterocyclic aromatic amine formation was reduced by 39% and 46% in beef meatballs cooked by charcoal-barbecue and deep-fat frying, respectively. In the chicken meatballs, the highest inhibitory effects were 75% for PhIP, 57% for norharman, 28% for harman, 46% for IQ, and 49% for MeIQx. When the pomegranate seed extract was added to the chicken meatballs cooked by deep-fat frying, the total heterocyclic aromatic amine formation was inhibited by 49%, in contrast the total heterocyclic aromatic amine contents after oven roasting increased by 70%.