Effect of Gamma Irradiation on Shelf Life of Pork Loin
Microbial populations (total bacteria, lactic acid bacteria and coliforms), TBA, VBN and POV were investigated for evaluating the shelf life of pork loins gamma-irradiated at doses of 1, 3, 5 and 10 kGy with air-contained and vacuum-packaged methods. The initial microbial populations decreased with gamma irradiation depending upon the dose and microorganisms in the vacuum-packaged samples were inhibited more than those in the air-contained samples. POV, TBA and VBN values were higher in the air-contained samples than in the vacuum-packaged samples. In conclusion, the combination of gamma-irradiation and vacuum-packaging could extend the shelf life of chilled pork loin.