Creatinine, creatine and protein in cooked meat products

The accuracy of the results obtained with a flow injection (FI) system for the simultaneous determination of creatinine and creatine in cooked meat products was evaluated in 30 samples by comparison with those obtained by reference methods. The FI method was then applied to 52 different samples (cooked ham, 14; frankfurters, 11; wieners, 9; chopped, 10; mortadella, 8) and the protein content was also determined. From % creatinine of total creatine (creatine + 1.159 creatinine) an estimation of the heat treatment applied in the processing was made. Cooked ham, mortadella and chopped had the highest values, indicating that the cooking conditions were more severe for these products than those used in the sausages. The ratio of total creatine/protein permitted an estimation of muscular protein to be made. According to the mean value for this ratio, the products were ordered as: cooked ham, 21.9 > chopped, 17.7 > wieners, 15.9 > mortadella, 13.0 > frankfurters, 12.3mg total creatine per gram of protein.