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Hemoglobin Derivatives in Beef Irradiated with Accelerated Electrons
Ulyana Bliznyuk1,2, Polina Borshchegovskaya1,2, Alexander Chernyaev1,2
1Department of Physics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, GSP-1, 1-2 Leninskiye Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russia.
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
|August 12, 2023
Summary
Measuring hemoglobin derivatives in beef can determine optimal food irradiation doses. This method prevents irreversible changes, ensuring food safety and quality during storage after irradiation.
Area of Science:
- Food Science
- Radiation Chemistry
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Food irradiation requires precise dosing to eliminate microbes without altering food properties.
- Hemoglobin derivatives are potential indicators of irradiation-induced oxidative damage in red meat.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a criterion for chilled beef irradiation limits using hemoglobin derivative concentration.
- To investigate the relationship between irradiation dose, time, and hemoglobin oxidation in beef.
Main Methods:
- Express spectrophotometry was used to measure hemoglobin derivative concentrations in beef.
- Beef samples were irradiated with accelerated electrons at doses from 250 Gy to 10,000 Gy.
- Hemoglobin derivative levels were monitored for three days post-irradiation.
Main Results:
- Methemoglobin concentration nonlinearly increased from 15% to 50% with increasing irradiation doses (250-10,000 Gy).
- Hemoglobin derivative concentrations showed non-monotonous changes over three days of storage, influenced by irradiation and biochemical processes.
- A model was proposed to describe hemoglobin derivative changes post-irradiation.
Conclusions:
- Hemoglobin derivative concentration is a viable criterion for assessing oxidation and setting irradiation limits for red meat.
- Understanding oxidation mechanisms (ionization, bacterial activity, reactive oxygen species) is crucial for optimizing food irradiation parameters.
- The proposed method aids in estimating oxidation levels in irradiated foods containing red blood cells.
