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Title: SENSORY EVALUATION OF IRRADIATED GROUND BEEF PATTIES FOR THE NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM

Author
item Fan, Xuetong
item Niemira, Brendan
item Rajkowski, Kathleen
item Phillips, John
item Sommers, Christopher

Submitted to: Journal of Food Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/23/2004
Publication Date: 11/1/2004
Citation: Fan, X., Niemira, B.A., Rajkowski, K.T., Phillips, J.G., Sommers, C.H. 2004. Sensory evaluation of irradiated ground beef patties for the national school lunch program. Journal of Food Science. 69:S394-S387.

Interpretive Summary: The 2002 Farm Bill allows irradiated ground beef to be distributed in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). However, there is a concern on the sensory properties of irradiated ground beef. A study was conducted to investigate the palatability of irradiated ground beef specified for the NSLP. Irradiation at doses up to 3 kGy, evaluated either immediately after irradiation or after 6 months of storage at -18 C, did not have any significant effect on the ratings of overall liking, flavor, taste, texture or aftertaste of ground beef patties used for NSLP. Our results suggest that irradiation at doses specified by AMS does not affect palatability of the ground beef patties used in the NSLP. The information will aid federal agencies and schools to develop education program on irradiated food and help schools and consumers to make decisions on the purchase of irradiated ground beef.

Technical Abstract: The 2002 Farm Bill allows irradiated ground beef to be distributed in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Sensory properties of irradiated ground beef specified for the NSLP was evaluated. Frozen ground beef patties with 15% fat content were either not irradiated or irradiated at doses of 1.35 and 3.0 kGy. Liking in aroma, taste, aftertaste, and texture as well as overall liking of the patties following cooking were evaluated using non-trained panels after 0 and 6 month of storage at -18 C. Results showed that irradiation had no significant (P<0.05) effect on the ratings of any of the sensory attributes either at 0 or after 6 month of storage. Average ratings of liking of aroma, taste and aftertaste and overall were higher at 6 month than at 0 month.