Radiation effects on physicochemical characteristics of pork

Pork samples were soaked in antioxidant solution(1 g/L),vacuum-packaged,irradiated at 3 kGy by Co y-rays or 10 MeV electron beams,and refrigerated at 0℃-4℃for 30 d.On Day 1,10,20,25 and 30 post irradiation, total bacterial counts,peroxide values,thiobarbituric acid reactive substances,volatiles and off-odor of the irradiated pork samples were analyzed.The total bacterial counts were10 cfu/g on Day 30.The peroxide values,thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and volatiles contents of pork irradiated by theγ-rays were higher than pork irradiated by electron beams.Pork irradiated byγ-rays combined with antioxidant treatment was most close to the control in odor, with a similarity of 89.68%.The results showed that E-beam irradiation reduced lipid oxidation and volatiles contents,γ-ray irradiation helped to reduce off-odor,and addition of antioxidant could effectively reduce lipid oxidation and off-odor.