Effect of Antioxidants on the Production of Off‐Odor Volatiles and Lipid Oxidation in Irradiated Turkey Breast Meat and Meat Homogenates

ABSTRACT The addition of gallate, sesamol, trolox, and tocopherol was effective, but sesamol, sesamol + tocopherol, and gallate + tocopherol were among the most effective antioxidants in reducing thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, volatile production, and off‐odor intensity in turkey breast homogenates. Also, these 3 antioxidant treatments were effective in controlling lipid oxidation and off‐odor intensity in both vacuum and aerobically packaged patties. However, aerobic packaging was better than antioxidant treatments in reducing off‐odor intensity of irradiated turkey patties. Antioxidants had no effect on redness, but increased lightness and yellowness of irradiated turkey breast. It was concluded that a combination of antioxidant and aerobic packaging was more useful than antioxidant and vacuum packaging in controlling off‐odor problems in irradiated raw turkey meat.