Effect of Electron Beam Irradiation and Storage on the Quality Attributes of Sausages with Different Fat Contents

The 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) value of sausages was not affected by fat content, but increased after irradiation (5 kGy). Storage for 60 days increased the TBARS of nonirradiated sausages (P < 0.05), but had no effect on irradiated ones. The numbers of volatile compounds and the amounts of total volatiles increased by irradiation in both high-fat (29% fat) and low-fat (16% fat) sausages. Dimethyl sulfide was detected only in irradiated sausages regardless of fat content (P < 0.05), but disappeared after 60 days of storage. Pentane and 1-heptene were detected only in irradiated samples after 60 days of storage. Low-fat sausages had higher L*-value, but had lower a*- and b*-values than high fat sausages. Irradiation and storage had little effects on both the exterior and interior color (L*-, a*-, and b*-values) of sausages. Fat content had no effect on the sensory parameters of sausages regardless irradiation and storage. However, irradiated sausages had significantly stronger off-odor and off-taste than nonirradiated ones regardless of fat contents (P < 0.05). This indicated that fat content in sausages had minimal effects on the quality of irradiated sausages during storage.