Iron Catalyzed Oxidative Rancidity in Prerigor Ground Pork

Lipid oxidation in prerigor ground porcine muscles as affected by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and FeCl 3 was studied over a 12‐day storage period. Concentrations of total, soluble‐protein bound and free iron in prerigor and postrigor ground muscles were determined at 24 hr postmortem. Increasing EDTA concentrations from 0.02 to 2.0% in the presence of 0.009% FeCl 3 produced increasing inhibitory effects on oxidation as measured by thiobarbituric acid numbers. Extremely low concentrations of EDTA (0.002%) in the presence of added FeCl 3 enhanced the rate of oxidation. Iron content analyses showed that postrigor ground muscle had a slightly higher free iron content than prerigor ground muscle.