Effect of gamma radiation on frozen turkey breast meat quality

• Published in: Journal of food safety 2010-08, Vol.30 (3), p.615-634
• Main Authors: Henry, F.C, Silva, T.J.P, Franco, R.M, Freitas, M.Q, Jesus, E.F.O. de
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Breast; Counting; decontamination; Effects; Enterococcus; food analysis; Food industries; Food irradiation; food processing quality; Food quality; Food safety; Freezing; Frozen; Frozen foods; frozen meat; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gamma radiation; Gamma rays; General aspects; Hygiene and safety; Irradiation; lipid peroxidation; Lipids; Meat and meat product industries; meat composition; Meat products; meat quality; microbiological risk assessment; model food systems; Oxidation; Radiation; sensory properties; turkey breast meat; turkey meat; Wildfowl
• ISSN: 0149-6085; 1745-4565
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1745-4565.2010.00229.x

Nine male turkey breasts with bone were frozen at -18C, cut, vacuum-packed and irradiated with gamma rays (1 kGy and 3 kGy doses) and stored for 540 days at -18C. During that time, bacteriological, physical and chemical analyses as well as a sensory evaluation were conducted after 5, 180, 360 and 540 days of storage. The psychrophiles counts and the counts of Enterococcus spp. increased during the storage period; moreover, the count was lower because of the irradiation by gamma rays, especially at a dose rate of 3 kGy. The lipid oxidation increased according to the irradiation dose used and the storage time. In the beginning of the storage, the gamma radiation helped to reduce the sensory acceptance of the meat taste, especially when the sample was subjected to a dose of 3 kGy, which was then confirmed as the one with the greatest lipid oxidation. Decontamination of food by ionizing radiation is a safe, efficient, environmentally clean and energy-efficient process. Irradiation is particularly valuable as an end product decontamination procedure. Radiation treatment is an emerging technology and more and more clearances on radiation-decontaminated foods are issued or expected to be granted in the near future. The information derived from this study serves as an essential base of knowledge from an alternative technology for food treatment that is being adopted worldwide and contributes to the development of the research in the practical application of food irradiation. It also can provide clues to understanding the factors that affect the irradiation process on the turkey meat preservation and can indicate means of reducing or eliminating pathogenic bacteria including Enterococcus spp. as well as Pseudomonas aeroginosa, bacteria related to the reduction of food commercial life, from suspected food products without affecting sensory, nutritional and technical qualities.