Ammonia ion selective electrode and indophenol methods can be used successfully to evaluate meat contaminated by ammonia

Anhydrous ammonia is used as a refrigerant in large warehouses for cooling meats, fruits, vegetables, milk, and other products. Ammonia offers several advantages over other refrigerants; it does not harm the ozone layer and is a very efficient heat transfer agent. However, cold storage facilities sometimes have ammonia leaks. When this happens, products are held for an indeterminate period or are condemned because there is no official method to evaluate the degree of product contamination. In one case, a warehouse owner discarded a product because he could not prove that it was safe. His insurance company would not compensate him because he failed to prove that the product was not safe for human consumption. Over the last several years, many owners of refrigeration warehouses have experienced this problem.