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INCREASING THE ACCEPTANCE OF IRRADIATED MEAT AND MEAT PRODUCTS BY SELECTED TREATMENTS BEFORE, DURING AND FOLLOWINF IRRADIATION. Report No. 16 (Final), December 28, 1956-September 1, 1960

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:4843803
Methods were investigated for increasing the aceptance of irradiated meat and meat products by selected treatments before, during, and following irradiation. Irradiated chili con carne, beef stew, and noodles and beef were scored much lower than their thermally processed counterparts. Sterilizing doses of radiation destroyed 99% of the antibiotics tested. The use of oxytetracycline with pork cuts provided an additional 2 days of storage life at 50 deg F. Certain liquid smokes and "charcosalt" added to beef either before or after radiation resulted in a definite improvement in the flavor of beef. Continuous purging of the headspace contents with N/sub 2/, CO/sub 2/, or air during radiation of beef steaks failed to improve the flavor when compared to static treatment with these same gases. Pork and beef roasts preheated to temperatures between 160 and 190 deg F and then irradiated at l.9 and 2.8 megarad could be held at 72 deg F for 250 days without deleterious changes in flavor or breakdown of the protein. It was necessary to pre-heat meat to at least 160 deg FT. Increasing the pre- irradiation heat treatment, a reduction in the radiation dosage, and reducing the storage temperature all contributed to a general retardation of proteolytic breakdown of radiation sterilized beef. Aging beef for up to 96 hr followed by radiation did not reveal significant differences in tenderness from that of the non-irradiated beef. The addition of salt improved the water holding capacity of the beef and provided a desirable degree of moistness. (M.C.G.)
Research Organization:
Oregon. Agriculture Experiment Station, Corvallis
NSA Number:
NSA-15-027284
OSTI ID:
4843803
Report Number(s):
AD-253643
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English