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

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.