Off-odor volatiles and pink color development in precooked, irradiated turkey breast during frozen storage

The effect of irradiation on color, lipid oxidation, and volatile production of precooked, irradiated turkey breast during frozen storage was studied. Turkey breast muscles were precooked, aerobically or vacuum-packaged, irradiated at 0, 2.5, or 5.0 kGy using a linear accelerator (electron beam), and then frozen-stored at -40 C. Lipid oxidation, volatiles, color values, gas production, and oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) of meat were determined during 3-mo storage periods. Ionizing radiation produced characteristic off-odor volatiles (dimethyldisulfide and methylthioethane) and lipid oxidation products in precooked, frozen turkey breast. The production of volatiles was accelerated by the confounding effect of high irradiation dose, aerobic packaging, and increased storage time. Volatile production and color changes in irradiated, precooked turkey breast were induced by different mechanisms. Irradiation increased pink color in precooked, vacuum-packaged turkey breast, and the pink color was stable during frozen storage. Decreased ORP and increased CO in irradiated meat indicated that denatured CO-heme pigments could be responsible for the pink color in precooked, irradiated turkey breast. Vacuum packaging was better than aerobic packaging in preventing lipid oxidation and oxidation-dependent volatile production, but pink color in precooked, irradiated turkey breast during frozen storage was maintained.