Effect of Double-packaging and Acid Combination on the Quality of Irradiated Raw Turkey Pattie

ABSTRACT: Effects of double-packageing (combinational use of vacuum and aerobic packaging conditions) and acid (citric or ascorbic acid) combinations on color, lipid oxidation and volatiles of irradiated raw turkey breast were determined. Acid did not affect the a-values but increased the L-values of meat after irradiation. Citric acid promoted lipid oxidation of irradiated turkey meat, whereas ascorbic acid had an antioxidant effect. The amounts of total volatile and dimethyl sulfide in doubly packaged turkey meat were 35 to 56% and 58 to 73% lower than those of the irradiated vacuum-packageed control, respectively, and dimethyl disulfide and dimethyl trisulfide were not found in double-packageed meat. The combination sequence of aerobic/anaerobic packaging was not a critical factor in the production of off-odor volatiles of irradiated turkey.