Nonenzymatic browning induced by gamma ⁶⁰Co irradiation in model system Part 3. Spectrophotometric investigation of the carbonyl products in the system fructose/phenylalanine in aqueous solution

Abstract

The effects of ?-irradiation on the browning reaction in the model system of fructose-phenylalanine solution were investigated. The optical absorption recorded for irradiated and heated solutions of fructose-phenylalanine was different from those of only irradiated or only heated solutions.T o explain the role of carbonyl compounds formed during radiolysis of fructose and phenylalanine investigations of their N-methyl-benzothiazolone hydrazone hydrochloride derivatives were undertaken. It has been found that as a result of irradiation of the model system mainly aliphatic aldehydes are formed, besides a small amount of cyclic aldehydes. However during heating the contribution of aliphatic and cyclic products is similar.

Food irradiation‐chemistry and applications∗

“…Irradiation has also been reported to enhance the rate of browning in model and actual food systems (23,184). This is due to the radiolysis of sugars and lipids into carbonyl and other compounds which react with amino acids and proteins, leading to enhanced browning in irradiated foods (23).…”

“…The "threshold dose" above which organoleptic changes can be detected varies with different foods; e.g., pork is reported to have a threshold dose of 1.75 kGy, compared to 2.5 kGy for either poultry or beef (180). Irradiation has been reported to cause development of off-odors in foods even at permissible doses of 10 kGy or less (23,105,(180)(181)(182)(183)(184)(185)(186). Zegota (181) reported poorer flavor of dried apple and a strange "aftertaste" in apple juice concentrate irradiated to a dose of 2 kGy.…”

Market Quality of Sweetpotatoes after Gamma-irradiation for Weevil Control

“…Baking irradiated 'Jewel' sweetpotatoes significantly increased the darkness of medullar tissue and reduced color intensity, which adversely affected preference by the taste panel. Whether this color change resulted from irradiation-induced altered terpene chemistry or degradation of sugars to carbonylic compounds that reacted with amino acids [as suggested by Zegota and Bachman (1984)] or from a heat-induced caramelization of sugars is unknown.…”