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The antioxidant effects of oregano essential oil and tannic acid combinations on ground chicken breast and thigh meats were studied. Six treatments, including: 1) control (none added), 2) 100 ppm oregano essential oil + 5 ppm tannic acid, 3) 100 ppm oregano essential oil + 10 ppm tannic acid, 4) 200 ppm oregano essential oil + 5 ppm tannic acid, 5) 200 ppm oregano essential oil + 10 ppm tannic acid, and 6) 5 ppm butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) for breast or 14 ppm for thigh meat, were prepared. Cooked meat samples were individually vacuum-packaged in oxygen-impermeable vacuum bags and then cooked in-bag to an internal temperature of 75°C. After cooling to room temperature, the cooked meat was re-packaged in new oxygen-permeable bags and stored at 4°C for 7 days. Cooked ground chicken meats were analyzed for lipid and protein oxidation and volatiles at 0, 3, and 7 d of storage. The significant differences among the treatments were very clear in cooked meat samples: Thigh meat patties showed higher 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), total carbonyl, and volatiles content compared to the breast meat during storage. A combination of 200 ppm oregano oil with 10 ppm tannic acid showed the most significant effects (P < 0.05) on TBARS, total carbonyl, and off-odor volatile formation for both breast and thigh meats. Oregano oil (200 ppm) and 10 ppm tannic acid combination also showed positive effects on the sensory scores of chicken thigh meat. In conclusion, the combination of 200 ppm oregano oil and 10 ppm tannic acid could be a good replacement for the synthetic antioxidants in ground cooked chicken meat., (© 2017 Poultry Science Association Inc.)

The concentrations of hydrocarbons, 2-alkylcyclobutanones, and sulfur volatiles in irradiated (0 and 5 kGy) chicken meat samples (raw, precooked, and irradiated-cooked) were analyzed after 0 and 6 mo of frozen storage (-40°C) under oxygen-permeable packaging conditions. Two hydrocarbons [8-heptadecene (C(17:1)) and 6,9-heptadecadiene (C(17:2))], two 2-alkylcyclobutanones (2-dodecylcyclobutanone and 2-tetradecylcyclobutanone), and dimethyl disulfide were determined as radiation-induced detection markers in the irradiated raw and cooked chicken meats. Although irradiated-cooked samples produced fewer hydrocarbons and 2-alkylcyclobutanones than precooked irradiated samples, the number of individual hydrocarbons or 2-alkylcyclobutanones was still sufficient to detect radiation treatment even after 6 mo of storage at -40°C. Among sulfur volatiles, only dimethyl disulfide was found in meat after 6 mo of storage, indicating it has potential to be used an irradiation detection marker for frozen-stored meats under oxygen-permeable packaging conditions.

This study was designed to evaluate the effects of dietary treatment, packaging, and irradiation singly or in combination on the oxidative stability of broiler chicken thigh meat. A total of 120 four-week-old chickens were divided into 12 pens (10 birds/pen), and 4 pens of broilers were randomly assigned to a control oxidized diet (5% oxidized oil) or an antioxidant-added diet [500 IU of vitamin E + 200 mg/kg of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA)] and fed for 2 wk. After slaughter, thigh meats were separated, ground, packaged in either oxygen-permeable or oxygen-impermeable vacuum bags, and irradiated at 0 or 3 kGy. Lipid oxidation (TBA-reactive substances), protein oxidation (carbonyl), and color of the meat were measured at 1, 4, and 7 d of refrigerated storage. The lipid and protein oxidation of thigh meats from birds fed the diet supplemented with antioxidants (vitamin E + BHA) was significantly lower than the lipid and protein oxidation of birds fed the control diet, whereas the lipid and protein oxidation of broilers fed the oxidized oil diet was higher than that of birds fed the control diet. Vacuum packaging slowed, but irradiation accelerated, the lipid and protein oxidation of thigh meat during storage. Dietary antioxidants (vitamin E + BHA) and irradiation treatments showed a stronger effect on lipid oxidation than on protein oxidation. A significant correlation between lipid and protein oxidation in meat was found during storage. Dietary supplementation of vitamin E + BHA and the irradiation treatment increased the lightness and redness of thigh meat, respectively. It is suggested that appropriate use of dietary antioxidants in combination with packaging could be effective in minimizing oxidative changes in irradiated raw chicken thigh meat.

To prevent oxidative quality changes, a few selected antioxidants, ascorbic acid, or an ascorbic acid plus α-tocopherol combination were electrostatically sprayed on the surface of ground beef patties. Color, metmyoglobin, oxidation-reduction potential, lipid oxidation, and volatiles of the samples were determined during the 8 d of aerobic storage. Spraying of ascorbic acid at 500 mg/kg was the most effective in controlling discoloration of ground beef. Spraying of ascorbic acid at 500 mg/kg was also effective in reducing 2-thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances and volatile aldehydes such as hexanal and heptanal related to lipid oxidation. Spraying of phenolic antioxidants such as tocopherol, sesamol, or rosemary oleoresin showed significant (P < 0.05) antioxidant effects, but had no effects (P < 0.05) in stabilizing the color of ground beef. Sesamol at 100 mg/kg showed the most potent antioxidant activities among the antioxidants, and its antioxidant effect was as strong as that of 500 mg/kg of ascorbic acid. It was concluded that electrostatic spray of ascorbic acid on the surface of ground beef at 500 mg/kg was an efficient and economical way to prevent both lipid oxidation and color changes in ground beef.

Ground beef with 10%, 15%, or 20% fat were added with none, 0.05% ascorbic acid + 0.01%alpha-tocopherol, or 0.05% ascorbic acid + 0.01%alpha-tocopherol + 0.01% sesamol, and irradiated at 0 or 2.5 kGy. The meat samples were displayed under fluorescent light for 14 d at 4 degrees C. Color, lipid oxidation, volatiles, oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), and carbon monoxide (CO) production were determined during storage. Irradiation increased lipid oxidation and total volatiles of ground beef regardless of fat contents. Ascorbic acid + alpha-tocopherol + sesamol treatment was the most effective in reducing lipid oxidation during storage. The production of ethanol in nonirradiated ground beef increased dramatically after 7 d of storage due to microbial growth. Total aldehydes and hexanal increased drastically in irradiated control over the storage period, but hexanal increased the most by irradiation. L*-values was decreased by irradiation, but increased in all meat regardless of fat contents as storage period increased. Irradiation reduced the redness, but fat contents had no effect on the a*-value of ground beef. Sesamol lowered, but ascorbic acid + alpha-tocopherol maintained the redness of irradiated beef up to 2 wk of storage. The yellowness of meat was significantly decreased by irradiation. The reducing power of ascorbic acid + alpha-tocopherol lasted for 3 d, after which ORP values increased. Irradiation increased CO production regardless of fat content in ground beef. In conclusion, up to 20% fat had no effect on the quality change of irradiated ground beef if ascorbic acid + alpha-tocopherol was added.

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of antimicrobials on the survival and proliferation of Listeria monocytogenes in turkey breast rolls following electron-beam irradiation. Six antimicrobial additive treatments that include no preservatives (control), 0.1% potassium benzoate (PB), 2% sodium lactate (SL), 0.1% potassium benzoate plus 2% sodium lactate (PB + SL), 2% sodium lactate plus 0.1% sodium diacetate (SL + SDA), and 0.1% potassium benzoate, 2% sodium lactate, and 0.1% sodium diacetate (PB + SL + SDA) were used. Sliced turkey breast rolls were artificially inoculated with approximately 10(6) cfu/cm(2) of 5-strain L. monocytogenes cocktails, then vacuum-packaged and irradiated at 0, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, or 2.5 kGy. The radiation dose (kGy) that results in 90% reduction of viable cells for breast rolls, D(10) value, with various additive treatments ranged from 0.56 to 0.58 kGy. Adding PB (0.1%) or SL (2%) in turkey rolls failed to prevent L. monocytogenes from growing during refrigerated storage. In turkey rolls added with 2 (PB + SL or SL + SDA) or 3 (PB + SL + SDA) antimicrobial combinations had 2 or 3 wk of lag phases before L. monocytogenes growth, respectively. Irradiating turkey rolls, which were added with PB + SL or SL + SDA, at 1.0 kGy was effective in suppressing the growth of L. monocytogenes for about 6 wk when stored at 4 degrees C. No growth of L. monocytogenes after irradiation occurred during 42 d of storage for 2.0 kGy irradiated breast rolls formulated with 0.1% PB + 2% SL, 2% SL + 0.1% SDA or 0.1% PB + 2% SL + 0.1% SDA, and 1.0 kGy irradiated turkey breast with 0.1% PB + 2% SL + 0.1% SDA. Sensory panelists found that low-dose irradiation (1.0 kGy) had no effect on the sensory characteristics of ready-to-eat turkey breast rolls. Including SL + SDA had slightly negative effect for nonirradiated turkey breast rolls, but the sensory characteristics of 1.0 kGy irradiated turkey roll containing SL + SDA was not significantly different from the others receiving 1.0 kGy irradiation. For microbial safety, PB + SL and SL + SDA antimicrobial treatments combined with 1.0 kGy or 2.0 kGy irradiation are a promising technology.

The fractions of meat homogenates were analyzed to find the factors that determine the susceptibility of raw chicken breast and beef loin to lipid oxidation. The fractions used in this study were meat homogenate, precipitate, and supernatant of homogenate after centrifugation, and high and low molecular weight fractions from the supernatant. Chicken breast showed greater oxidative stability than beef loin during 10-d storage (P < 0.05). All fractions from chicken breast showed lower amounts of free ionic iron and myoglobin and higher total antioxidant capacity (TAC) than those from beef loin during storage. The TAC level of chicken breast maintained during storage. This suggested that the oxidative stability of chicken breast was ascribed to high, stable total antioxidant capacity with low level of catalysts for lipid oxidation. The water-soluble high molecular weight fraction, which contained myoglobin, was responsible for the high lipoxygenase-like activity and lipid oxidation potential (LOP) in beef loin. TAC in all fractions from beef loin decreased during storage. This suggested that high myoglobin content in beef loin caused the imbalance between pro- and antioxidant factors leading to the high susceptibility of beef loin to lipid oxidation. Myoglobin served a major source of catalysts, ferrylmyoglobin, hematin, and/or free ionic iron, for lipid oxidation.

The effects of dietary crude glycerin on growth performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality indices, and tissue histology in growing pigs were determined in a 138-d feeding trial. Crude glycerin utilized in the trial contained 84.51% glycerin, 11.95% water, 2.91% sodium chloride, and 0.32% methanol. Eight days postweaning, 96 pigs (48 barrows and 48 gilts, average BW of 7.9 +/- 0.4 kg) were allotted to 24 pens (4 pigs/pen), with sex and BW balanced at the start of the experiment. Dietary treatments were 0, 5, and 10% crude glycerin inclusion in corn-soybean meal-based diets and were randomly assigned to pens. Diets were offered ad libitum in meal form and formulated to be equal in ME, sodium, chloride, and Lys, with other AA balanced on an ideal AA basis. Pigs and feeders were weighed every other week to determine ADG, ADFI, and G:F. At the end of the trial, all pigs were scanned using real-time ultrasound and subsequently slaughtered at a commercial abattoir. Blood samples were collected pretransport and at the time of slaughter for plasma metabolite analysis. In addition, kidney, liver, and eye tissues were collected for subsequent examination for lesions characteristic of methanol toxicity. After an overnight chilling of the carcass, loins were removed for meat quality, sensory evaluation, and fatty acid profile analysis. Pig growth, feed intake, and G:F were not affected by dietary treatment. Dietary treatment did not affect 10th-rib backfat, LM area, percent fat free lean, meat quality, or sensory evaluation. Loin ultimate pH was increased (P = 0.06) in pigs fed the 5 and 10% crude glycerin compared with pigs fed no crude glycerin (5.65 and 5.65 versus 5.57, respectively). Fatty acid profile of the LM was slightly changed by diet with the LM from pigs fed 10% crude glycerin having less linoleic acid (P < 0.01) and more eicosapentaenoic acid (P = 0.02) than pigs fed the 0 or 5% crude glycerin diets. Dietary treatment did not affect blood metabolites or frequency of lesions in the examined tissues. This experiment demonstrated that pigs can be fed up to 10% crude glycerin with no effect on pig performance, carcass composition, meat quality, or lesion scores.

The effect of electron beam irradiation on the survival and growth of Listeria monocytogenes and natural microflora in oven-roasted turkey breast rolls and turkey hams was evaluated. Slices of turkey breast rolls and hams were inoculated with a 5-strain mixture of L. monocytogenes to achieve 10(6) to 10(7) cfu/cm2; vacuum-packaged; irradiated at 0 (control), 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, or 2.5 kGy; and stored at 4 degrees C for up to 28 d. Numbers of naturally occurring bacteria on sliced turkey hams and breast rolls were 2.72 and 6.22 log10 cfu/cm2, respectively. The values of the radiation dose that results in 90% reduction of viable L. monocytogenes in breast rolls and hams were 0.52 and 0.47 kGy, respectively. For breast rolls, the log10 reductions of L. monocytogenes after irradiation at 1.0 and 2.5 kGy were 1.5 and 4.7, respectively, whereas they were 2.0 and 5.5 for hams. The log10 reductions of aerobic plate count (APC) in breast rolls after 1.0 and 2.0 kGy of irradiation were 2.9 and 5.2, whereas that of hams was < 10 cfu/cm2 after 1.0 and 2.0 kGy of irradiation. In 2.0-kGy irradiated hams, L. monocytogenes grew to 4.82 log10 cfu/cm2 after 28 d of storage at 4 degrees C, whereas APC increased to 2.98 log10 cfu/cm2, respectively. In breast rolls after 14 d of storage, APC in 1.0-kGy irradiated samples increased to 7.53 log10 cfu/cm2, and APC increased to 2.63 and 4.68 log10 cfu/cm2 for 2.0-kGy irradiated breast rolls after 14 and 28 d of storage. However, during the storage of breast rolls, L. monocytogenes grew slowly or even stopped to grow in both nonirradiated and irradiated breast rolls due to the competitive inhibition of natural flora in breast rolls. This study showed that irradiation (1.0 to 2.5 kGy) effectively reduced the number of L. monocytogenes and natural flora. However, L. monocytogenes and natural flora that survived irradiation could multiply during the 28-d storage period at 4 degrees C. Thus, additional hurdles are needed to ensure the microbial safety after low-dose irradiation.

The susceptibility of meats from different animal species (chicken breast [CB] and thigh [CT], pork [PL and beef [BL]) to lipid oxidation was studied. The amounts of TBARS in raw PL, CB, and CT did not change during a 7-d storage period. TBARS values of raw BL, however, significantly increased during 7-d storage because of high heme iron content, high lipoxygenase-like activities, and low 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activities. Ferric ion reducing capacities (FRC) were detected in all raw meats, but their characteristics were different: storage-unstable in CB and CT and storage-stable in PL and BL. Ferric ion reducing capacities in raw CB and CT was higher than those of PL and BL, and could be related to their high oxidative stability. The TBARS values of cooked meat increased significantly with storage. The rates of TBARS increase in cooked CT and BL were significantly higher than those of cooked CB and PL after a 7-d storage. Nonheme iron content in cooked BL was higher than other meats and increased significantly after 7 d. Cooked BL had a higher amount of heat-stable FRC, which acted as a prooxidant in the presence of high free ionic irons, than other meats. Therefore, high heat-stable FRC and increased nonheme iron content in cooked BL were responsible for its high susceptibility to lipid oxidation. Despite relatively low nonheme iron and heat-stable FRC levels, cooked CT showed similar levels of TBARS to cooked BL after a 7-d storage because of its high PUFA content.

The Egg Safety Action Plan released in 1999 raised many questions concerning egg temperature used in the risk assessment model. Therefore, a national study by researchers in California, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Texas was initiated to determine the internal and external temperature sequence of eggs from oviposition through distribution. Researchers gathered data from commercial egg production, processing, and distribution facilities. The experimental design was a mixed model with random effects for season and a fixed effect for duration of the transport period (long or short haul). It was determined that processors used refrigerated transport trucks (REFER) as short-term storage (STS) in both the winter and summer. Therefore, this summary of data obtained from REFER also examines the impact of their use as STS. Egg temperature data were recorded for specific loads of eggs during transport to point of resale or distribution to retailers. To standardize data comparisons between loads, they were segregated between long and short hauls. The summer egg temperatures were higher in the STS and during delivery. Egg temperature was not significantly reduced during the STS phase. Egg temperature decreases were less (P < 0.0001) during short delivery hauls 0.6 degrees C than during long hauls 7.8 degrees C. There was a significant season x delivery interaction (P < 0.05) for the change in the temperature differences between the egg and ambient temperature indicated as the cooling potential. This indicated that the ambient temperature during long winter deliveries had the potential to increase egg temperature. The REFER used as STS did not appreciably reduce internal egg temperature. These data suggest that the season of year affects the temperature of eggs during transport. Eggs are appreciably cooled on the truck, during the delivery phase, which was contrary to the original supposition that egg temperatures would remain static during refrigerated transport. These data indicate that refrigerated transport should be a component in future assessments of egg safety.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of dietary functional ingredients vitamin E (VE), Se, and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), alone or in combination, on the quality of irradiated turkey breast meat. A total of 480 male turkeys (11-wk-old, raised on a cornsoybean basal diet) were randomly allotted to 32 pens and fed 1 of 8 experimental diets (4 pens/treatment) supplemented with none (control), 200 IU/kg of VE (VE), 0.3 ppm Se (Se), 2.5% CLA (CLA), 200 IU/kg of VE + 0.3 ppm Se (VE + Se), 200 IU/kg of VE + 2.5% CLA (VE + CLA), 2.5% CLA + 0.3 ppm Se (CLA + Se), 200 IU/kg of VE + 0.3 ppm Se + 2.5% CLA (VE + Se + CLA) for 4 wk. At 15 wk of age, all birds were slaughtered, and breast muscles of 8 birds from each pen were separated, pooled, and ground. Patties were prepared using the ground meat, aerobically packaged, and irradiated at 0 or 1.5 kGy absorbed dose. Lipid oxidation, color, and volatiles of the patties were measured after 0, 7, and 12 d of storage at 4 degrees C. The content of VE and Se and fatty acid composition of lipids were also determined. Dietary supplementation of VE and CLA increased their concentrations in turkey breast. Dietary CLA decreased monounsaturated and non-CLA polyunsaturated fatty acids content in meat. Irradiation increased (P < 0.05) Hunter color redness value of turkey breast and accelerated lipid oxidation, regardless of dietary treatments. However, dietary VE, Se, and CLA, alone and in combinations, decreased (P < 0.05) lipid oxidation in meat caused by both irradiation and storage. It was concluded that dietary supplementation of VE, Se, and CLA, alone and in combination, improved the storage stability of irradiated turkey breast meat.

Raw and cooked breast patties from turkeys fed 8 different diets [control; 200 IU/kg of vitamin E (VE); 0.3 mg/kg of Se; 2.5% conjugated linoleic acids (CLA); 200 IU/kg of VE + 0.3 mg/kg of Se; 200 IU/kg of VE + 2.5% CLA; 0.3 mg/kg of Se + 2.5% CLA; and 200 IU/kg of VE + 0.3 mg/kg of Se + 2.5% CLA] were treated with 2 irradiation doses (0 and 1.5 kGy) and 2 packaging methods (vacuum and aerobic). Raw and cooked samples from 32 treatments were tested by 8 trained sensory panelists for turkey aroma and irradiation off-aroma. Based on the sensory scores, the 3 dietary treatments producing the most and the least off-aroma were selected and used for a consumer acceptance study. Sensory results of raw meat showed that turkey aroma was intense in aerobically packaged meat, whereas irradiation off-aroma was intense with vacuum packaging. Raw meats from dietary treatments containing CLA (CLA, VE + CLA, Se + CLA, VE + Se + CLA) had greater turkey aroma scores, whereas those containing VE (VE and VE + Se) had lower scores than the control. Dietary treatments containing VE (VE, VE + Se, VE + Se + CLA) significantly lowered (P < 0.05) irradiation off-aroma in raw turkey breast meat, whereas CLA increased it, especially when the meats were packaged aerobically. In cooked meat, however, irradiation and packaging had no effect on turkey meat aroma and irradiation off-aroma. Cooked meat from turkeys supplemented with VE (VE and VE + Se) had less (P < 0.05) irradiation off-odor than other dietary treatments. Dietary CLA increased the irradiation off-aroma in cooked meat, which could not be reduced, even when VE and Se were combined in the diet. Irradiation off-aroma of raw meat was not pleasant for most consumers, and dietary supplementation of VE and VE + Se improved consumer acceptance of irradiated raw meat. For cooked meat samples, consumers preferred both color and flavor of irradiated meat to nonirradiated meat.

Irradiation is an effective technology in eliminating Listeria monocytogenes, but it induces quality changes in meat products at or above specific radiation doses. To minimize irradiation-induced quality changes, only low irradiation doses are recommended. However, low-dose irradiation provides a chance for some pathogens to survive and proliferate during prolonged storage. To solve this problem, antimicrobial ingredients [2% sodium lactate (SL), 0.1% sodium diacetate (SDA), 0.1% potassium benzoate (PB)] and low-dose irradiation were combined and tested for their effects on the growth of L. monocytogenes and meat quality. The log10 reductions of L. monocytogenes in hams following exposure to 1.0 to 2.5 kGy of irradiation ranged from 2.0 to 5.0. The D10 values were 0.52 kGy for control ham or ham with PB, SL, or PB + SL; 0.49 kGy for ham with SL+SDA; and 0.48 kGy for ham with PB + SL + SDA (PSS). Addition of SL + SDA or PB + SL in combination with 1.0 kGy of irradiation was effective in suppressing the growth of L. monocytogenes for about 6 wk when stored at 4 degrees C, whereas 2.0 kGy of irradiation was listeriostatic. Ham irradiated with 1 kGy in combination with PSS was listeriostatic throughout storage. SL increased firmness of turkey hams, and sensory panelists noted that the saltiness was a little higher in products containing SL, but its overall impact on quality was minimal. Amounts of benzene were detected in irradiated hams with PB, showing PB was not fit as an antimicrobial ingredient for irradiated foods. In conclusion, 2% SL and 0.1% SDA in combination with low-dose irradiation were effective in ensuring the safety of ready-to-eat meat products against L. monocytogenes.

Influence of irradiation and storage on the quality of ready-to-eat (RTE) turkey breast rolls was investigated. Commercial oven roasted turkey breast rolls purchased from local stores were sliced and vacuum packaged. The sliced samples were randomly divided into 3 groups and irradiated at 0, 1.0, or 2.0 kGy using a linear accelerator. Color, 2-TBA-reactive substances (TBARS), sensory characteristics, and volatiles were evaluated at 0, 7, and 14 d of storage. Irradiation increased color a* value of turkey breast rolls. Irradiation and storage did not influence TBARS values. Sensory evaluation showed that irradiation significantly increased sulfury flavor. Because a dramatic increase in sulfur compounds was detected in irradiated samples, the sulfury flavor should be due to the sulfur compounds formed during irradiation. Irradiation also increased the amounts of acetylaldehyde, 2-methyl butanal, 3-methyl butanal, benzene, and toluene. It was concluded that irradiation significantly influenced the odor and flavor of RTE turkey breast rolls under vacuum packaging conditions. Therefore, strategies to prevent negative changes in the quality of irradiated RTE turkey breast rolls are needed.

The effects of double packaging on lipid oxidation, color, and volatile production were determined to establish a modified packaging method to improve quality changes in irradiated raw turkey meat. Sliced raw turkey breast and thigh meats were aerobically, vacuum- or double (vacuum and aerobic)-packaged, electron beam irradiated at 2.5 kGy, and then stored under refrigerated temperature. For the double-packaged samples, the outer vacuum bags were removed after 5, 7, or 9 d of refrigerated storage. 2-Thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) values, volatile compounds, and color values of the samples were determined after 10 d of storage. Irradiation and aerobic packaging promoted production of aldehydes (propanal and hexanal) related to lipid oxidation in turkey breast and thigh meats. Vacuum-packaged irradiated samples retained S-volatile compounds (methanethiol, dimethyl sulfide, dimethyl disulfide, and dimethyl trisulfide), mainly responsible for the irradiation off-odor, during storage. Exposure of double-packaged irradiated turkey meats to aerobic conditions by removing outer vacuum bags a few days before the test was effective in controlling both lipid oxidation-dependent (aldehydes) and radiolytic off-odor (S-compounds) volatiles. The a* values of raw turkey breast and thigh meats increased by irradiation regardless of packaging conditions. The a* value of double-packaged meats was lower than that of the vacuum-packaged meats but was not significant. Thus, the use of double-packaging alone was not enough to reduce the pink color of irradiated raw turkey meat. When lipid oxidation and irradiation off-odor should be minimized without any additional additives, however, double packaging is an excellent method to be used for turkey meats.

A total of 450 1-d-old male broiler chicks were fed a corn-soy-flax meal-based diet (control), two cultivars of sorghum--Ruby Red (low tannin content) and Valpo Red (high tannin content)--were used at 10% level. Birds were slaughtered at the end of 42-d feeding trial. Boneless, skinless breast and thigh muscles were separated and ground to make patties. Half of the breast and thigh meat patties were individually packaged in zipper bags, and 2-TBA-reactive substances (TBARS) and colors of the patties were determined after 0 and 7 d of storage at 4 C. The other half was cooked and vacuum-packaged. The vacuum-packaged patties were used to determine time-dependent volatile production and oxidative change during 12-h holding time before analyses. Thigh meat from broilers fed the Valpo Red cultivar produced lower TBARS than that from control at Day 0. The amounts of aldehydes and sulfur compounds of cooked breast meats were lower from chickens fed the Valpo Red cultivar than those fed the control or Ruby Red cultivar. Dietary Valpo Red cultivar improved the oxidative stability of breast meat 8 and 12 h after cooking. Dietary sorghum slightly improved the color a* stability of raw thigh meat patties. This result indicated that feeding sorghum to broilers could improve some measures of the storage stability of broiler meat, but sorghum with high tannin content was more effective than that with low tannin content.

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of irradiation on the quality of ready-to-eat (RTE) breast rolls from turkeys fed conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). The oxidative stability of RTE turkey rolls was improved by the dietary CLA treatment. Irradiation increased the production of acetaldehyde, 3-methyl-butanal, 2-methyl-butanal, and total volatiles in turkey rolls but had little effect on other aldehydes. Irradiation also produced new volatiles, including sulfur compounds, not detected in nonirradiated turkey breast rolls. We detected significantly higher amounts of alkanes with nine or higher carbons in irradiated samples than in nonirradiated samples. Irradiation increased the redness of RTE turkey breast rolls, but the degree of redness and the amount of total volatiles decreased with storage. CLA treatment lowered the redness (a*) and increased the lightness (L*) of RTE turkey breast rolls during the entire storage period. Sensory evaluation revealed that irradiation produced off-flavor, but CLA and irradiation did not influence the texture and juiciness of RTE turkey breast rolls. Consumers did not like the off-flavor but preferred the color induced by irradiation to nonirradiated RTE turkey breast rolls.

Chicken breast fillets were equally divided into three groups. One group was vacuum packaged, cooked in a water bath (cooked-in-bag) at 82 C for 25 min, and then irradiated at 0 or 3 kGy with a linear accelerator (V-C-I). The other two groups were irradiated at 0 or 3.0 kGy in vacuum packaging (V-I-C) or aerobic packaging (A-I-C). After 3 d of storage at 4 C, the irradiated meats were cooked in a water bath (cooked-in-bag) at 82 C for 25 min. After being cooked, meats were repackaged under vacuum and stored at 4 C. Breast fillets were analyzed at 0 and 21 d after cooking and analyzed for lipid oxidation, color, and volatiles. Irradiation accelerated lipid oxidation of breast fillets. Three days of storage of raw meat in aerobic conditions after irradiation had only minor influences on lipid oxidation after cooking. However, irradiation had a significant effect on the volatile production in meat. Dimethyl disulfide, related to irradiation odor, was significantly higher in irradiated fillets than in nonirradiated fillets for V-C-I and V-I-C, whereas it was only slightly higher for A-I-C. Other volatiles, such as 3-methyl butanal and 2-methyl butanal, were also produced in significant amounts after irradiation, especially in V-C-I and V-I-C. These results showed that irradiating cooked meat induced slightly more changes in volatiles than irradiating raw meat and then cooking. The amount of dimethyl disulfide between irradiated and nonirradiated samples for A-I-C was not different, because the dimethyl disulfide produced by irradiation disappeared during the 3 d in aerobic storage before cooking. Color a* value of irradiated fillets was higher than that of nonirradiated fillets. Irradiation also induced color L* and b* value changes. After 3 d of aerobic storage after irradiation of raw meat, the influence of irradiation on color after cooking was reduced. No significant lipid oxidation occurred during storage as shown by the low values for TBA-reactive substances.

The objective of this study was to determine the influence of dietary conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on lipid oxidation, volatile profiles, and sensory characteristics of irradiated cooked chicken meat. Forty-eight 27-wk-old White Leghorn hens were fed a diet containing 0, 1.25, 2.5, or 5.0% CLA. After 12 wk of feeding trial, hens were slaughtered, and boneless, skinless breast and thigh muscles were separated. Meats of three birds from a dietary treatment were pooled and ground together through a 9-mm and a 3-mm plate, and patties were prepared. Patties were individually packaged and cooked in a water bath at 85 C for 15 min. After cooling to room temperature, patties were repackaged in oxygen-permeable or oxygen-impermeable bags, irradiated at 0 or 3 kiloGray (kGy) with an electron beam irradiator, and analyzed for lipid oxidation, volatile profiles, and sensory characteristics at 0 and 5 d of storage at 4 C. Cooked meat patties from hens fed CLA diets had lower TBA-reactive substances values and produced less hexanal and pentanal than the control. The irradiated and nonirradiated cooked chicken meat with aerobic packaging developed severe lipid oxidation during the 5-d storage at 4 C. Irradiation accelerated lipid oxidation in aerobic-packaged cooked chicken meat, but its effect was not as significant as that of the packaging. No odor differences were found among the cooked chicken meats from the different dietary CLA treatments. The increased storage stability of cooked meat from hens fed CLA diets was caused by the increased saturated fatty acids and CLA content in meat lipids. Tissue CLA was stable from oxidative changes and had minimal effect on volatile production in irradiated and nonirradiated cooked chicken meat during storage.

Male and female emus were fed a diet rich in saturated fat (beef tallow) or a diet rich in unsaturated fat (soybean oil) until they weighed about 35 kg. Samples of subcutaneous and retroperitoneal adipose tissues and samples of six major meat cuts were taken for determination of composition. Emus fed the two different diets grew at similar rates, but the male emus had a higher percentage of carcass fat. The adipose tissue cells from males were larger than those from females. All six meat cuts averaged 2.2% fat, with the regular filet having the most and the inside and outside drums the least. Cholesterol concentration of all sizes of meat cuts averaged 32.2 mg/100 g meat. Diet did not influence cholesterol content of the rendered oil. Fan filets had the greatest concentration of cholesterol, and the inside and outside drums had the least. Source of dietary fat had no effect on fat and cholesterol content of the meats. Meat from emus fed beef tallow was more tender and juicy. Fan filets were the most tender meat, had the least intense flavor, and were the most flavorful. Untrained panelists were able to discriminate between emu meat and beef. Source of dietary fat did not influence the fatty acid compositions of the meats. As expected, the soybean oil-fed emus produced oil that was more polyunsaturated than did the tallow-fed emus.

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of electron-beam irradiation on the oxidation of cholesterol in raw and cooked chicken meats with different packaging and storage times. Patties were prepared with skinless chicken breasts and legs. Half of the patties were used for raw meat study and the other half for cooked meat work. For cooked samples, patties were cooked in an electric oven to an internal temperature of 70 C. Raw and cooked meat patties were either aerobically or vacuum-packaged before irradiation. Irradiated patties were stored at 4 C up to 2 wk, and the amounts of cholesterol oxides in the patties were analyzed at 0, 7, and 14 d of storage. In raw chicken meat with vacuum packaging, 7beta-hydroxycholesterol and beta-epoxide were the only two cholesterol oxides present in significant amounts. In raw chicken meat with aerobic packaging, 7alpha-hydroxycholesterol and 7-keiocholesterol, which were not detected in vacuum-packaged raw chicken meat, were found. 7beta-Hydroxycholesterol in raw chicken meat was increased by irradiation and storage time, regardless of packaging. The kinds of cholesterol oxides found in cooked meat were basically the same as those found in raw chicken, but the levels in cooked meats at all storage time were higher than those of the raw meats. With vacuum packaging, irradiation had no consistent effect on the amount of beta-epoxide, 7alpha-hydroxycholesterol, or 7-ketocholesterol, but storage significantly influenced the amount of 7-ketocholesterol, 7beta-hydroxycholesterol, and total cholesterol oxides in cooked chicken meat. With aerobic packaging, irradiation significantly increased the formation of 7alpha-hydroxycholesterol, 7beta-hydroxycholesterol, and 7-ketocholesterol in cooked meat stored for 0 and 7 d. After 14 d of storage, however, irradiation had minor effects on the formation of cholesterol oxides in aerobically packaged cooked chicken.

A study was conducted to develop a solvent system that will clean egg yolk samples and concentrate cholesterol oxides effectively before analysis. Cholesterol oxide standards or lipid samples (0.2 g) loaded onto a silicic column were washed with a portion of Solvent I (hexane/diethyl ether, 9:1, vol/vol) and then with Solvent II. Four different Solvent II preparations (Solvent IIa, hexane:ethyl acetate = 4:1; Solvent IIb, hexane:ethyl acetate = 1:1; Solvent IIc, hexane:ethyl acetate:diethyl ether = 2:1:1; Solvent IId, hexane:ethyl acetate:diethyl ether = 4:1:2, vol/vol/vol) were prepared and the purification efficiencies of Solvent II solutions for neutral lipids, cholesterol, and phospholipids in the column were compared. Yield study using cholesterol oxide standards showed that one or more of the cholesterol oxide standards were eluted by the Solvent IIb and Solvent IIc, but Solvent IIa and Solvent IId did not elute any of the cholesterol oxides during washing. Egg samples prepared with Solvent IIa showed greater amount of cholesterol oxides than those prepared with Solvent IId, probably due to incomplete purifying of phospholipids and interference. However, the amounts of cholesterol oxides in cooked meat prepared with the two purification solvents were not different. Because egg yolk contains very large amounts of phospholipids and cholesterol compared with other foods, at least twice as much Solvent IIa as Solvent IId was required to properly clean egg yolk samples. It was concluded that purification solvents should be selected by sample types, and Solvent IId (hexane:ethyl acetate:diethyl ether = 4:1: 2) was superior to Solvent IIa (hexane:ethyl acetate = 4: 1) for egg yolk samples.

A study was conducted to determine the effects of dietary vitamin E supplementation on the storage stability and volatiles production in irradiated cooked turkey meat. Turkeys, raised with diets containing 25, 50, 75, or 100 IU of dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate (TA)/kg diet from 1 to 105 d of age, were fed with diets containing 25, 200, 400, or 600 IU of TA/kg diet from 105 to 122 d of age. Breast and leg meat patties were prepared, irradiated at 0 or 2.5 kGy dose, cooked to an internal temperature of 78 C, and stored in either vacuum or aerobic packaging. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) values gradually decreased as the dietary TA increased and > 200 IU TA/kg diet treatments were helpful in maintaining low TBARS values in irradiated breast and leg meat patties during the 7-d storage period. With vacuum-packaging, irradiated cooked breast patties developed more oxidation than nonirradiated patties but the prooxidant effect of irradiation in cooked leg meat patties was not consistent. In aerobic-packaged cooked meat, irradiated patties had lower TBARS than nonirradiated patties in both breast and leg meat stored in oxygen permeable bags for 7 d. Propanal, pentanal, hexanal, 1-pentanol, and total volatiles were highly correlated with the TBARS values of meat. However, hexanal represented the lipid oxidation status of cooked meat better than any other volatiles component. The amount of hexanal and total volatiles in cooked breast and leg meat shows decreasing trends as dietary TA increased. In vacuum packaging, irradiated breast and leg meat had higher hexanal and total volatiles content than nonirradiated meat at both 0 and 7 d of storage. In aerobic packaging, the amount of hexanal and total volatiles greatly increased in both irradiated and nonirradiated meat patties during the 7-d storage periods. The results illustrated that the antioxidant effect of TA was not strong enough to control lipid oxidation and off-odor generation in cooked meat stored under aerobic conditions because the progress of lipid oxidation in cooked meat under aerobic condition is very rapid. However, the combination of dietary TA and vacuum packaging of cooked meat immediately after cooking could be a good strategy to minimize oxidation and volatiles production in cooked meat.

Weakening of the Z-disks of skeletal muscle myofibrils contributes to the tenderization of meat during post-mortem aging. To elucidate the weakening mechanism, we compared Z-disks weakened by post-mortem aging of chicken breast muscle with those of myofibrils treated with a solution containing 0.1 mM CaCl2 and 1 microM calpastatin domain I. In both cases, the Z-disks were weakened with a corresponding liberation of their constituent phospholipids (PLs). The liberation of PLs specific to 0.1 mM calcium ions was minimal at pH 6.5 and maximal at 35 degrees C together with the Z-disk weakening. Binding of calcium ions to PLs in the Z-disks was determined by 45Ca-autoradiography. Acidic PLs were strongly radioactive and neutral PLs were appreciably radioactive. It is very probable that acidic PLs would bind electrostatically to alpha-actinin under physiological conditions, and that this interaction would be broken by the binding of calcium ions at 0.1 mM to PLs, resulting in the partial liberation of PLs from Z-disks. We conclude, therefore, that the liberation of PLs by the binding of 0.1 mM calcium ions was the main cause for Z-disk weakening during the post-mortem aging of chicken.

Three experiments were conducted to develop a sensitive and reliable fluorometric thiobarbituric acid (TBA) reactive substances (TBARS) method to determine lipid oxidation products in meat. The first study was conducted to find the optimum sample preparation conditions for meat in the fluorometric method. The second study was to compare the original and the modified methods by using meat and blood samples. The modified fluorometric method was compared with a conventional spectrophotometric method in a third study. Four different extraction solutions (2.5 M acetic acid, 0.5 M hydrochloric acid, 0.8 M perchloric acid, and 1.4 M trichloroacetic acid) and two ratios of extraction solution to TBA (20 mM) solutions (2:1 and 1:1) were examined in the first study. Hydrochloric acid was the optimum among the four extraction solutions tested, and the ratio of extraction solution to TBA solution at 1:1 was the best for the fluorometric TBARS method in raw ground turkey. The modified fluorometric method had high recovery rates (91%, average), and the regression coefficient of the standard curve prepared with spikes was also high (r2 = 0.99). The analysis of raw meat and plasma samples indicated that the modified fluorometric method had greater sensitivity than the original method. The pH of the reaction mixture played an important role in extraction TBARS from samples, and low pH conditions were preferable to high pH conditions. The amount of lipid oxidation products in raw turkey breast meat indicated that the fluorometric method had much greater sensitivity than the spectrophotometric method. The results from the three studies showed that the modified fluorometric TBARS method was useful for the samples with low lipid oxidation products, such as fresh raw meat. The sensitivity of the modified fluorometric method also facilitates the determination of oxidation products in small quantities of samples.

Two studies were conducted to determine 1) the effect of post-mortem time before chilling on hot boned prerigor breast muscle water-holding capacity (WHC), and 2) post-mortem temperature effect on sarcomere length and drip loss of uncooked breast, and shear force and WHC of turkey breast muscle that is hot-boned, marinated, and cooked. In Study 1, the turkey breast muscle was excised immediately after slaughter and chilled at 0 C. The effect of post-mortem time (15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 min) before chilling on muscle pH, drip loss, and WHC (measured by homogenate cooking yield) was determined. In Study 2, hot boned prerigor breast slices were held at either 0 or 12 C and then at 3 h post-mortem stored at 2 C. Sarcomere length and drip loss of uncooked breast, and the shear force and WHC (measured by cooking yield) of cooked breast muscles with water, salt, and sodium tripolyphosphate were determined. Results indicated that pH on Day 1 post-mortem and cooking yield of water homogenates were not influenced by the post-mortem time before chilling. Drip losses increased as the post-mortem time before chilling was increased. Cooking yield of homogenate with water, salt, and sodium tripolyphosphate was decreased when breast muscle was chilled after 60 min post-mortem. Drip loss of breast was less at 0 C than at 12 C, but cooking yield and shear force were not affected by post-mortem chilling temperature. It was concluded that the post-mortem time before chilling has an influence on uncooked and cooked muscle WHC, but the differences found in uncooked muscle drip loss were not reflected in WHC or shear force of cooked muscle with water, salt, and sodium tripolyphosphate added.

BSTRACT: The liberation of phospholipids from Z-disks was investigated to elucidate the cause of the structural weakening of Z-disks, which contributes to the tenderization of meat during postmortem aging. The amounts of lipids in Z-disks were 2.2 g per 100 g of myofibrillar proteins in porcine and 2.7 g in bovine semitendinosus muscles. Phospholipids were the major component of the lipids. The postmortem liberation of phospholipids correlated well with Z-disk weakening, though a-actinin, the major protein of Z-disks, remained unchanged even after prolonged aging of pork and beef. We therefore concluded that Z-disks are weakened by liberation of phospholipids during postmortem aging of pork and beef. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between volatile substances and manufacturing procedures of Chinese traditional Jinhua ham and Cantonese sausage were determined. Ethanol and its alcohol esters were the major volatiles of Cantonese sausage suggesting that ethanol added to meat at the formulation stage was the most important factor for the characteristic flavor of Cantonese sausage. Small amounts of fatty acid and amino acid breakdown products were also detected in Cantonese sausage. In Jinhua ham, alkanes and alkenes were the major volatiles, but branched aldehydes and sulfur compounds were also detected. This indicated that many complicated chemical reactions occurring in Jinhua ham during ripening contribute to its characteristic flavor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uncured, no-nitrate/nitrite-added meat products can be manufactured with vegetable juice powder (VJP) and a starter culture containing Staphylococcus carnosus, resulting in quality and sensory attributes similar to traditional cured products. The 1st objective of this study was to determine the effects of varying concentrations of VJP and incubation times (MIN-HOLD) on quality characteristics, including lipid oxidation, color, and cured meat pigment concentrations, of emulsified-frankfurter-style-cooked (EFSC) sausages over a 90-d storage period. The 2nd objective was to compare residual nitrate and nitrite content resulting from different processing treatments and the 3rd objective was to assess sensory properties of finished products. Four EFSC sausage treatments (TRT) (TRT 1: 0.20% VJP, 30 MIN-HOLD; TRT 2: 0.20% VJP, 120 MIN-HOLD; TRT 3: 0.40% VJP, 30 MIN-HOLD; TRT 4: 0.40% VJP, 120 MIN-HOLD) and a sodium nitrite-added control (C) were used for this study. No differences for lipid oxidation (TBARS) between any TRTs and C or over time were observed. No differences ( P > 0.05) for CIE L* values were found between TRTs. CIE a* and reflectance ratio values revealed that TRTs 2, 4, and C were redder than TRTs 1 and 3 at day 0. Trained sensory intensity ratings for cured aroma, cured color, cured flavor, uniform color, and firmness determined that all but TRT 1 were similar to C. These results indicate a longer incubation time (120 compared with 30 min) was found more critical than VJP level (0.20% or 0.40%) to result in products comparable to a sodium nitrite-added control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]