[Organoleptic changes in beef and pork fats following gamma-ray irradiation].

Studied were bovine and swine fats that had been treated with gamma-rays at the rates of 0.10 to 2.00 Mrad, in the presence of oxygen and in an atmosphere containing no oxygen as well as under storage conditions at 2 to 4degreesC, and -- 18 and up to --20degreesC, for 45 and 90 days, respectively. When doses of 0.25 Mrad were used no changes in the organoleptic properties were observed. Fats that were treated at the rate of more than 0.25 Mrad in the presence of oxygen assumed 'side' smell and taste. If irradiation was carried out in the absence of oxygen no such deviations from the normal taste and odor were noted--at rates of up to 0.70 Mrad for the swine fats, and at rates of more than 0.50 Mrad for the bovine fats. Destruction of the yellow pigment in the bovine fats was observed at treatment with doses higher than 0.70 Mrad. The changes in the organoleptic properties corresponded to the changes taking place with the peroxides, the water soluble fatty acids, and the epihydrinaldehyde. Changes in the organoleptic properties (odor and taste) in the bovine fats took place at lower doses of iradiation than in the swine fats.