Effects of oven heating on the formation of glycidyl esters and 3-monochloropropanediol esters in various meats.

The formation of glycidyl esters (GEs) and 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol esters (3-MCPDEs) in various minced meat types (pork loin, pork belly, beef belly, and chicken thigh) was investigated under different heating conditions (150-300 °C, 10-30 min) using a muffle oven. GE and 3-MCPDE concentrations increased with rising temperatures and prolonged heating, with the highest levels observed at 300 °C for 30 min, coinciding with substantial moisture loss. Among the meat types, pork belly exhibited the highest contaminant levels, followed by beef, chicken, and pork loin, in descending order of fat content. Significant correlations were also observed between lipid oxidation indicators and contaminant levels (p < 0.05). High-fat meats, such as pork belly and beef belly, showed significant correlations between GEs and 3-MCPDEs (r > 0.9, p < 0.05). These findings underscore fat content and lipid oxidation as key factors driving the formation of GEs and 3-MCPDEs in meat products during thermal processing.