γ-ray irradiation reduces the formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons during the baking of sausage.

As a common food preservation method, γ-ray irradiation can effectively improve the microbial safety of raw meat. However, the effects of irradiation decontamination on chemical hazard formation, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), in subsequent meat processing have not been studied. In this study, fresh sausage was irradiated with γ-rays at doses of 0, 1, 4, and 8 kGy, and the lipid oxidation, fatty acid composition and total free radical content were determined. The contents of four types of higher molecular weight PAHs (BaA, CHR, BbFA, BaP - called as PAH 4) were determined after 20 min of baking at 220 °C. The peroxide value (POV) of sausages after 1, 4, 8 kGy of irradiation were 1.86, 2.42, 3.84 meq/kg, respectively, and the thiobarbituric acids (TBARs) values were 0.08, 0.12, 0.19 mg/kg, respectively, which were significantly increased compared with those of the unirradiated sausages (P < 0.05). The total free radical content estimated by electron spin-resonance spectroscopy (ESR) and the content of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) both increased as the dose of irradiation increased. The concentration of PAH 4 in irradiated sausage was notably reduced by 16.89% (1 kGy), 36.79% (4 kGy), and 51.68% (8 kGy) compared with unirradiated sausages. There was a significant correlation between the proportion of unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs) and the PAH 4 content (P < 0.01). γ-ray irradiation can effectively reduce the PAH 4 content of baked sausages at 1, 4, and 8 kGy. The mechanism by which PAH 4 decrease in sausage might be caused by the reduction of UFAs result from irradiation. This study illustrates that application of γ-ray irradiation is an effective mean for reducing chemical hazards formation during the baking of sausage. • γ-ray irradiation under permissible doses (1–8 kGy) can effectively reduce the production of PAH 4 during the baking process. • γ-ray can promote lipid oxidation by increasing the amount of free radicals in sausage. • γ-ray reduces the proportion of UFAs in sausages. • The reason of PAH 4 decrease in sausage might be caused by the reduction of UFAs result from irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]