Flavor Changes Induced by Radiation Sterilization

摘要

The flavor changes that occur in food when it is irradiated are presumably caused by the action of free radicals, formed by radiolysis of water, on the food components. In order to obtain a clearer picture of the reactions involved in the production of off-flavors,' the action of the individual radicals was studied and compared with results obtained by γ-irradiation under similar conditions. A sulfur-containing amino acid -- cysteine -- and a tripeptide containing cysteine --glutathione --were chosen for initial experimentation.nSolutions of cysteine and glutathione were irradiated with γ-rays from a Cobalt-60 source in both the presence and absence of oxygen. The primary products of irradiation appear to be hydrogen sulfide and the corresponding disulfide, but further reactions involving the primary reaction products also occur.nA method was devised for the production of hydrogen atoms at pressures up to 20 mm Hg by electrical discharge in fast-flowing mixtures of hydrogen and helium. The characteristics of this source of atomic hydrogen were determined and the systems calibrated.