Inhibitory effects of apple peel polyphenol extract on the formation of heterocyclic amines in pan fried beef patties

•SPE method used for heterocyclic amines (HCA) purification from fried beef•Dried apple peel powder (DAPP) in beef patties inhibited HCA after frying.•Surface application of DAPP vs. mixing in meat was more effective for HCA reduction.•The greatest inhibition among HCA was observed in PhIP with DAPP application.

The efficacy of polyphenol-rich dried apple peel extract (DAPP) to inhibit the formation of heterocyclic aromatic amines (HCAs) during frying of beef patties was assessed after DAPP was applied at 0.1, 0.15 and 0.3% (w/w) either on the surface of the patties or mixed inside the patty prior to frying. 2-Amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5f]quinoxaline (MeIQx), 2-amino-1-ethyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) and 2-amino-3,4,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (4,8-DiMeIQx) were quantified after frying. HCA concentrations decreased (p < 0.05) upon both surface and mixed applications of DAPP at all of the tested doses. Surface application of 0.3% DAPP showed greater (p < 0.05) inhibitory effects on HCA formation by 68% for MeIQx, 56% for 4,8-DiMeIQx and 83% for PhIP as opposed to 41%, 21% and 60% respectively, for the mixed DAPP application of 0.3%. The present study results indicate that surface application of DAPP in meat preparation prior to pan-frying can be a useful approach to minimize the formation of genotoxic HCAs in fried beef patties.