Free and Esterified Cholesterol Content of Animal Muscles and Meat Products

TLDR: In this article, a method was developed for the precise measurement of total and free cholesterol in lipid extracts of raw beef and pork muscle and meat products, and the average total cholesterol content of both meats was estimated to be 58 and 65 mg % (mg per 100 g), respectively.

Abstract: SUMMARY —A method was perfected for the precise, accurate measurement of total and free cholesterol in lipid extracts of raw beef and pork muscle and meat products. The average total cholesterol content of beef and pork muscles was estimated to be 58 and 65 mg % (mg per 100 g), respectively. Both beef and pork muscles had an average cholesterol ester concentration of about 6% of the total cholesterol. Regression equations indicated that the total cholesterol content of muscle increased very slightly as the percent lipid value rose. Extramuscular adipose fat from beef and pork carcassess had total cholesterol values between about 43 and 68 mg %. Total cholesterol was estimated for some meat products. During the broiling of ground chuck samples, up to 15% of the total cholesterol in raw meat was lost in the cook drip.