Effect of Gamma Radiation on Furan Formation in Ready‐to‐Eat Products and their Ingredients

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Besides meat as the major component, ready‐to‐eat (RTE) meat and poultry products often contain ingredients such as Na‐ascorbate, Na‐erythorbate, glucose, honey, corn syrup, and Na‐nitrite. Furan is a potential carcinogen and information is needed on its formation in irradiated RTE products. In the present study, we investigated the generation of irradiation‐induced furan in aqueous solutions of those ingredients, and in 9 RTE food products (8 meat and poultry‐based and 1 vegetable burger). Irradiation at doses up to 4.5 kGy induced formation of furan in aqueous solutions of Na‐ascorbate, Na‐erythorbate, glucose, honey, and corn syrup. Addition of Na‐nitrite into these solutions prior to irradiation completely eliminated, or significantly reduced, furan formation. Most of the nonirradiated RTE products contained less than 1 ng/g of furan, except for beef and turkey frankfurters which contained 6 to 8 ng/g furan. Exposure of RTE food products to 4.5 kGy radiation in the nonfrozen state (5 °C) or to 10 kGy radiation in the frozen state (−18 °C) did not significantly increase furan levels in most of the samples. Furthermore, the irradiation treatments reduced furan levels in samples (that is, frankfurters) that contained more than 3 ng/g of furan. Our results suggested that irradiation induces furan formation in solutions of many RTE food ingredients, but not in RTE meat and poultry products themselves.