18C-29

A. C. BOVELL-BENJAMIN¹, J. Mason¹, and P. Gichuhi². (1) Food and Nutritional Sciences, Tuskegee Univ., Tuskegee, AL 36088, (2) Dept. of Food and Nutritional Sciences, Tuskegee Univ., College of Agricultural, Environmental and Natural Sciences, Tuskegee, AL 36088

During long-term space missions, astronauts will grow and process their own foods. In this closed environment, the possibility exists for volatiles emitted from these processes to reach levels that could inhibit plant growth, and negatively affect the health of astronauts. Spacecraft Maximum Allowable Concentrations (SMACs) are guideline values for human exposure to volatile compounds set by The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The objective of this study was to identify and quantify volatile emissions from a model bread made from three types of sweetpotato flour (Beauregard, Hydroponic and field grown TU-82-155. Twelve bread formulations, with and without dough enhancers were prepared and stored at –18°C for either one or two months. Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) coupled to a Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometer were used to identify and quantify the volatiles. Three volatiles were identified. Average concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted from the breads were 3.44 and 1.72 ppm from breads stored at one and two months, respectively. Carbon Monoxide (CO) emitted had average concentrations of 0.087 and 0.021 ppm for breads stored for one month and two months, respectively. Methane (CH3) had average concentrations of 0.15 ppm from breads stored for one month and 0.045 ppm from breads stored at two months. The volatiles emitted were the same for all the breads regardless of the type of sweetpotato flour used. However, breads prepared with dough enhancers emitted higher concentrations of volatiles than those without. Volatile emissions from the sweetpotato breads did not exceed the SMAC values.

Session 18C, Food Chemistry: Food composition, analysis and volatiles
2:00 PM - 5:30 PM, Sunday PM Room Hall I-2

2005 IFT Annual Meeting, July 15-20 - New Orleans, Louisiana