Mutagenic and carcinogenic heterocyclic amines as affected by muscle types/skin and cooking in pan-roasted mackerel

The dependence on muscle types/skin and on degrees of cooking in the formation of heterocyclic amines (HCAs) of pan-roasted mackerel was studied. High levels of 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) were found in very well done skin and ordinary muscle, being 4.2 and 5.3 ng/g, followed by 2-amino-3,4-dimethylimidazo4,5-f] quinoxaline (MeIQx), being 1.8 and 2.1 ng/g and 2-amino-9H-pyrido2,3-b]indole (AalphaC), being 1.2 and 2.8 ng/g, respectively. In pan-roasted mackerel, ordinary muscles contributed much more greatly to the formation of HCAs than skins due to its higher HCA contents and composition (76.1%).