Effect of combined treatments of electron beam irradiation with antioxidants on the microbial quality, physicochemical characteristics and volatiles of vacuum-packed fresh pork during refrigerated storage

In this study, the effects of combined treatments of electron beam irradiation (3 kGy) with antioxidants (tea polyphenols, grape seed extract, and D-sodium erythorbate) on the microbial quality, physicochemical characteristics and volatiles of vacuum-packed fresh pork during refrigerated storage were evaluated. The results indicate that irradiation treatment significantly suppressed the increases in total plate count, total volatile basicnitrogen and pH of the samples during storage. Furthermore, these effects were enhanced by the combination of irradiation with antioxidant treatments. However, the increases in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and protein carbonyl content, and the decrease in sulfhydryl content of the samples were significantly accelerated by irradiation treatment, indicating a higher degree of lipid and protein oxidation. Interestingly, these adverse effects of combined treatments were significantly lower than those of irradiation treatment. The amounts of hydrocarbons, aldehydes and esters in radiation-treated samples were higher than that in control during the whole storage time, however, these phenomena were diminished by the use of irradiation in combination with antioxidants treatments.