99E-17 |
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A. STOKLOSA, D. Nivens, and L. J. Mauer. Dept. of Food Science, Purdue Univ., 745 Agriculture Mall Dr., West Lafayette, IN 47907-2009 NASA is focusing on sending man beyond Lower Earth Orbit (LEO), including a trip to Mars. The goal of the foods group is to ensure food safety, quality, and nutritional value during the mission. With missions planned beyond LEO and away from the protection of Earth's magnetic field, the radiation exposure of the crew and food system is greatly increased. A mission to Mars is estimated to encounter radiation levels of 1-3 sieverts. Although food irradiation has been widely studied, 1kGy doses are used for pest control and 10kGy doses are used for food processing, the effects of space-relevant radiation doses on food are unknown and must be understood in order to provide foods that will be safe, nutritious, and acceptable for the duration of a mission. Our objective was to determine how radiation affects dough structure from various wheat cultivars using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Twenty gram samples of Parshall, Yecora Rojo, and Perigee cultivars of wheat, selected for their protein and starch characteristics, and exposed to 10kGy of ã-radiation using a Cobalt 60 irradiator. Dough was formed from each cultivar and adhered to glass slides using a calcium cation. Analysis was conducted using AFM with a AC160 tip. AFM images show the differences between irradiated and non-irradiated wheat cultivars. Differences in images are likely the result of radiation but could be a consequence of the isolation and preparation methods utilized. Results suggest that radiation does have an effect on the structure of wheat dough. The irradiated cultivars have weaker dough strength and fragmented starch granules, and these can be observed in our images. Images demonstrate that exposure of wheat to radiation has a negative effect on wheat functionality. Lower radiation doses will be investigated to determine the threshold for observing radiation-induced changes.
Session 99E, Nonthermal Processing: General II
2005 IFT Annual Meeting, July 15-20 - New Orleans, Louisiana |