Antioxidant activity of carnosine in cooked ground pork.

Carnosine (0·5-1·5%) reduced (P < 0·05) the formation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in cooked unsalted ground pork after 7 days of storage at 4°C. The antioxidant activity of carnosine was less in cooked salted ground pork, with only 1·5% carnosine inhibiting (P < 0·05) TBARS formation during refrigerated storage. The antioxidant activity of carnosine in cooked salted and unsalted ground pork was greater than those of the lipid-soluble free radical scavengers, butylated hydroxytoluene and α-tocopherol (P < 0·05) but less than that of sodium tripolyphosphate (P < 0·05). These data suggest that carnosine could be used to reduce the oxidative deterioration of cooked salted and unsalted ground pork.