EFFECT OF GAMMA IRRADIATION AND PACKAGING MATERIALS ON MICROBIOLOGICAL AND SENSORIC QUALITY OF PAKISTANI FAST FOODS

摘要

The "Vegetable Samosa" is a ready-to-eat Pakistani fast food, commonly used by consumers. The samples were purchased from the local market and divided into two lots on the basis of packaging materials, i.e. one was already commercially packed in polyethylene opaque (0.0216 mu m thick), and the other one in polyethylene transparent (0.302 mu m thick) in the laboratory. The samples were irradiated at doses of 1, 2, or 3 kGy (kilo gray), and then stored at -18 deg C for 2 months. The samples were analyzed for microbiological load and sensoric quality after 0, 30 and 60 days of storage. The identification of different bacterial groups in control and irradiated samples was also performed. The results showed that irradiation completely diminished the gram-positive coccal group, which was the dominant flora of control samples, and the remaining population consisted of gram-positive bacilli with few gram-negative bacillus species. The microbial load was much reduced in the samples packed in transparent polyethylene packages as compared to opaque ones. The results revealed that a 2 kGy dose is enough for the retention of the sensory quality and reduction of the micro flora in ready-to-eat fast foods.