Solution to counteract effects of irradiation
Arkansas have devised a means of using grape and green tea extract
to eliminate certain side affects of irradiated chicken - a move
which could help make irradiated meats more acceptable to the
consumer.
The researchers claim that, where irradiated chicken is often too tough or red, a dash of grape seed extract and the green tea extract can help to soften the texture and reduce discolouration.
Irradiation eliminates foodborne pathogens from the product but researchers have found that it can also cause some undesirable sensory results, such as changes in colour, undesirable odours and off flavours.
The University of Arkansas research team found that the unwanted changes were minimised by infusing grape seed extracts and green tea extracts into skinless, boneless chicken breasts before irradiation.
They also demonstrated that infusing a synthetic compound known as TBHQ into the chicken was effective in minimising oxidation, the chemical process that causes the sensory changes in the food.
"TBHQ is a pure synthetic compound," explained Navam Hettiarachchy, a UA Division of Agriculture food scientist. "Since it's a pure compound and an antioxidant, it has the optimum activity in preventing oxidation. Nobody so far has found anything as good as TBHQ."
Additionally, the findings indicate that the infusion of plant extracts does not negatively affect the chicken's colour or water-holding capacity, Hettiarachchy said. Research has shown that water-holding capacity is a critical factor for meat quality.
Although colour changes don't affect the quality of the meat itself, consumer acceptance of a meat product can be damaged if it has an unfamiliar color. The meat's texture is also said to be improved by the infusion.
The grape seed and green tea extracts are already used in a variety of food products. "Using these two extracts for improving the quality of the meat during irradiation should not be a problem," Hettiarachchy added. "The technology is available for an industry to transfer the technology."
The two extracts are also said to be cost effective because they are only 8 per cent water being introduced into the meat in very small quantities. Also, sensory tests by trained panels have indicated that the extracts at the concentrations used do not produce any off flavour in the meat.
Tests have also shown that the extracts can extend the meat's shelf life to 12 days. "The quality of the meat is maintained," Hettiarachchy said. "The quality includes the juiciness, the water-holding capacity and the succulence."
Since its introduction some thirty years ago, food irradiation has been the source of much controversy, with a number of medical studies claiming that the process induces a chemical reaction in foods which can prove to be carcinogenic. In Europe the process is largely banned, except for use with dried herbs and spices.
However in America, the process is in use for a variety of meats and only last year irradiated meats were introduced to the national school lunches programme. Such moves have led to fierce lobbying by groups such as Public Citizen and the Center for Food Safety to have to the process banned in the US.
