Use of antioxidants to reduce lipid oxidation and off-odor volatiles of irradiated pork homogenates and patties.

Pork homogenates and patties treated with antioxidants (200 μM, final) were irradiated with an electron beam. Lipid oxidation of the pork homogenates and patties were determined at day 0 and 5 and volatile compounds were analyzed soon after irradiation. Ionizing radiation accelerated lipid oxidation and produced S-containing volatiles in pork homogenates and patties. Addition of an antioxidant (sesamol, gallate, Trolox, or α-tocopherol) and their combinations decreased, but carnosine did not affect the production of off-odor volatiles and lipid oxidation of pork homogenates and patties by irradiation. Antioxidant combinations showed distinct beneficial reduction in lipid oxidation of aerobically packaged irradiated pork patties. The effect of antioxidant combinations in reducing sulfur volatiles of irradiated pork patties was clearer under vacuum than aerobic conditions.