61B-13 |
Volatile sulfur compounds in irradiated pre-cooked turkey breast analyzed with pulsed flame photometric detection |
X. FAN1, C. H. Sommers, D. W. Thayer, and S. J. Lehotay. (1) Eastern Regional Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 600 E. Mermaid Lane, Wyndmoor, PA 19038 Foodborne pathogens cause numerous illnesses, hospitalizations, and even deaths every year in the U.S. The FDA has proposed application of processing or other treatments that achieve a 5-log reduction in the number of harmful microbes. Irradiation has been demonstrated to be a very effective processing technology for pathogen inactivation for both raw and ready-to-eat (RTE) cooked meats. However, an unpleasant odor may be developed on various meats after irradiation at high doses. Volatile sulfur compounds have been suggested to be the source of the off-odor, but the nature of these compounds were not completely clear, partially due to difficulties associated with the detection of volatile sulfur compounds. This study was conducted to investigate volatile sulfur compounds of precooked turkey breast as functions of radiation dose and subsequent storage. Precooked RTE turkey breast was exposed to 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 kGy of gamma radiation and stored for 14 days at 5°ãC. Volatile sulfur compounds were extracted using the solid phase microextraction (SPME), followed by gas chromatographic separation and pulsed flame photometric detection. Irradiation dramatically increased concentration of hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, methanethiol, dimethyl disulfide, and dimethyl trisulfide/(methanethio) acetic acid. The increase was more rapid at low doses (1-2 kGy), and the rate of increase lessened after 2 kGy. Carbon disulfide was the only volatile sulfur compound that was reduced by irradiation. During the post-irradiation storage at 5°ãC, the concentration of all volatile sulfur compounds decreased. Our results provide evidence that volatile sulfur compound are involved in the generation of the off-odor.
Session 61B, Food Chemistry: Flavor and aroma chemistry
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