Thiamine Retention in Pork After Home Canning

Pork has long been recognized as contributing important quantities of thiamine in human nutrition. It has been shown to be a richer source of this food factor than beef or poultry meat.

Pork serves as a principal source of animal protein in Thai food according to Chandrapanond (1959). Besides contributing high quality protein, lean pork muscle is said to be the chief source of thiamine in Thailand.

In order to have pork available all year round, it is the aim of the Thai government to introduce methods of home food preservation to their people. Canning is a method of preservation that can be rapidly applied in the home in Thailand at the present time.

Because thiamine is known to be destroyed by heat, this study was planned to determine the retention of thiamine in port after home canning. It was hoped that the study would furnish some data on the thiamine content of home-canned pork which would be helpful in establishing the value of this product as a source of thiamine for Thai people.