Research into Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) for Ensuring the Effect of 1 MeV-Accelerated Electrons on Volatile Organic Compounds in Turkey Meat

Abstract

One of the most important tasks in the food industry is the search for alternative biochemical markers of radiation treatment in dietary, chilled meat products such as chicken and turkey. Major organic volatile chemicals found in meat products can be precisely identified using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. In the response to the needs of the food industry, our research team conducted a series of experiments involving the irradiation of chilled poultry meat using an electron accelerator. The experiments showed that the concentration of pure volatile organic compounds in saline solution dropped exponentially with an increase in the irradiation dose, which proves that these chemicals decomposed when exposed to ionizing radiation. However, when turkey meat was exposed to an electron beam with doses up to 1 kGy, the concentration of alcohols, aldehydes, and ketones peaked, only to decrease with an increase in the irradiation dose up to 2 kGy, and then went up slightly when the irradiation dose was within the range from 2 kGy to 10 kGy. To determine the reason behind the nonlinear dependencies of organic compound concentrations in turkey meat on the irradiation dose, we developed a mathematical model that acknowledges the presence of two opposing processes, those of decomposition and accumulation of organic compounds as a result of the decomposition of other compounds that can be found in turkey meat.

Headspace Solid-Phase Microextraction/Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry and Chemometric Approach for the Study of Volatile Profile in X-ray Irradiated Surface-Ripened Cheeses

“…The primary and aromatic alcohols increased with treatment up to 2.0 kGy or 4.0 kGy, then at higher doses decreased slightly in both matrices (Figures 2a and 3a,b). These compounds are the by-products of the primary oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids, and their decreased amount with higher doses is probably due to the further oxidation to aldehydes, as reported by Bliznyuk et al [18]. The Brie secondary alcohols showed a linear behavior in the irradiated samples (Figure 2b), while in the Camembert, the trend was in line with this of the primary alcohols.…”

“…Among these radiation-induced chemical changes, there is the production of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which is dependent on both the dose level and on the presence of O 2 [14][15][16]. Hence, specific VOCs, such as hydrocarbons, aldehydes, ketones, esters, alcohols and sulfur-containing compounds, could be potential markers for several foodstuffs such as meats [16][17][18], fish [19][20][21] and fruits [22,23]. To date, detailed studies in dairy products on VOC behavior as a result of the irradiation treatment and dose level are still lacking [24,25].…”

Volatile Compound Markers in Beef Irradiated with Accelerated Electrons

“…It was found that the dose–effect relationship of VOC concentration was nonlinear, which, as our mathematical model shows, can result from two competing processes: the decomposition and accumulation of VOCs after irradiation as a result of the decomposition of other VOCs and biomacromolecules, such as fatty acids, proteins and carbohydrates. According to the model developed and published by our team [ 33 ], a volatile compound A present in the food sample at concentration C A is caused by the ionizing radiation to decompose at a rate k A , which is the number of compounds A decomposed per unit of absorbed dose (Gy −1 ). Under irradiation, compound A can transform into other volatile organic compounds of different fractions, depending on the type of the resulting compound.…”

Исследование Дозовых Зависимостей Концентраций Летучих Органических Соединений Для Оценки Степени Окисления Продуктов Животного И Растительного Происхождения После Радиационной Обработки

“…На основе анализа поведения концентраций ЛОС в образцах говядины, индейки, семги и картофеля, облученных в дозах 0,1-10 кГр и на основе модельных экспериментов, проведенных со стандартными образцами летучих органических соединений в физиологическом растворе, был предложен механизм изменения содержания ЛОС в образцах продукта после воздействия излучения, основанный на конкурирующих процессах радиационно-индуцированного распада ЛОС и накопления ЛОС за счет распада других органических молекул [4], а также предложена функция, описывающая изменение концентрации идентифицированных соединений от дозы облучения:…”