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Title: VOLATILE SULFUR COMPOUNDS IN IRRADIATED PRE-COOKED TURKEY BREAST ANALYZED WITH PULSED FLAME PHOTOMETRIC DETECTION

Author
item Fan, Xuetong
item Sommers, Christopher
item Thayer, Donald
item Lehotay, Steven

Submitted to: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/4/2002
Publication Date: 5/9/2002
Citation: FAN, X., SOMMERS, C.H., THAYER, D.W., LEHOTAY, S.J. VOLATILE SULFUR COMPOUNDS IN IRRADIATED PRE-COOKED TURKEY BREAST ANALYZED WITH PULSED FLAME PHOTOMETRIC DETECTION. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY. 2002. V. 50. P. 4257-4261.

Interpretive Summary: Food-borne pathogens cause numerous illnesses, hospitalizations, and even deaths every year in the U.S. Irradiation has been demonstrated to be a very effective processing technology for pathogen inactivation for both raw and ready-to-eat cooked meats. However, meat may develop an unpleasant odor when irradiated. This study was conducted to investigate volatile sulfur compounds of precooked ready-to-eat turkey breast as functions of radiatio dose and subsequent storage. Precooked turkey breast was exposed to 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 kGy of gamma radiation and stored for 14 days at 5 C. Volatile sulfur compounds were extracted using solid phase microextraction, followed by gas chromatographic separation and pulsed flame photometric detection. Seven volatile sulfur compounds were identified. Irradiation dramatically increased concentrations of all but one volatile sulfur compound. However, concentrations of all volatile sulfur compounds decreased in both irradiated and non-irradiated samples during storage. Ou results provide evidence that volatile sulfur compounds are involved in the generation of the off-odor. This information is useful for the meat industry.

Technical Abstract: Ionizing radiation is an effective processing technology for pathogen inactivation on various foods. However, the generation of off-odor is a concern for irradiated meats. This study was conducted to investigate volatile sulfur compounds of precooked ready-to-eat turkey breast as functions of radiation dose and subsequent storage. Precooked turkey breast twas exposed to 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 kGy of gamma radiation and stored for 1 days at 5 C. Volatile sulfur compounds were extracted using solid phase microextraction (SPME), followed by gas chromatographic separation and pulsed flame photometric detection. Irradiation dramatically increased concentrations of hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, methanethiol, and dimethyl disulfide. The rate of increase was higher at low doses (0-2 kGy) than at doses of 3-5 kGy. Carbon disulfide was the only volatile sulfur compound that was reduced by irradiation. Concentrations of all volatile sulfur compounds decreased in both irradiated and non-irradiated samples stored at 5 C.