METHOD FOR DETERMINATION OF PROVITAMIN A IN MEAT BASED SAMPLES

The method described in this paper was adapted for determination of provitamin A from meat based products that were supplemented with plant oils contain carotenes. The first step consisted in grease saponification with alcoholic KOH solution and antioxidant, for 30 minutes. Acetone and hexane were used for the extraction of carotenes several times. Finally the absorbance was determined at 450 nm. Quantification was realised with a calibration curve prepared using 5 ?g/ml β-carotene solution. The method was tested for determination of β-carotene in three samples of meat products supplemented with sea-buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) oil. For comparison non supplemented meat products was considered too. The provitamin A content ranged between 0.109 and 0,218 mg/100g and after one week between 0.079 and 0.195 mg/100g in the product tested. Different values were obtained according to the preparation technology.