The purine patterns of five industrially produced yeast extracts and nine yeast-extract-based commercial meat flavourings were analysed by ion-pair HPLC after acid hydrolysis of the purine-containing compounds and a clean-up step via cation exchange. The results indicate that there is a good correlation between the adenine contents of the flavourings and the yeast extract percentages used for their manufacture. The possible addition of authentic meat constituents (e.g. meat extract) would contribute likewise to the adenine contents of commercial meat flavourings. To recognize those products the characteristic meat constituent creatinine was analysed simultaneously.