Use of double packaging and antioxidant combinations to improve color, lipid oxidation, and volatiles of irradiated raw and cooked turkey breast patties.

The effects of antioxidants and double packaging combinations on color, lipid oxidation, and volatiles production in irradiated raw and cooked turkey breast were determined. Ground meat was treated with antioxidants (none, sesamol + alpha-tocopherol, or gallate + alpha-tocopherol), and patties were prepared. The patties were packaged under vacuum, packaged aerobically, or double packaged (vacuum for 7 d then aerobic for 3 d) and electron beam irradiated at 3 kGy. Color, 2-thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), and volatile profiles of the samples were determined at 0 and 10 d and after cooking. Irradiated vacuum-packaged patties had great amounts of sulfur volatiles (dimethyl sulfide and dimethyl disulfide) and increased red color during refrigerated storage and after cooking compared with the nonirradiated control. Irradiated aerobically packaged meat had accelerated lipid oxidation and aldehyde production at 10 d and after cooking. Gallate + alpha-tocopherol alone with double packaging was effective in reducing the red color of irradiated meat at 10 d and after cooking. Considerable amounts of off-odor volatiles were reduced by double packaging and antioxidant treatment. Sulfur volatiles were evaporated during the aerobic period of double packaging, and lipid oxidation was prevented by the antioxidants and vacuum condition of double packaging. These beneficial effects of double packaging and antioxidants were more critical in irradiated cooked meat. Therefore, the combined use of antioxidants and double packaging would be a useful method to control the oxidative quality changes of irradiated raw and cooked turkey breast.