Combined Effect of Irradiation and Ageing Condition on Physicochemical and Microbial Quality of Hanwoo Eye of Round

The combined effects of electron-beam irradiation and ageing of beef were examined. The irradiated samples at dose of 0 or 2 kGy were kept and analyzed for the microbial growth, shear values, meat color, and nucleotide-related flavor compounds at different ageing temperatures (2, 10, or 25°C) for 8 d. The irradiation effect on inactivation of foodborne pathogens was also investigated. The population of Listeria monocytogenes and E. coli O157:H7 inoculated in beef samples decreased in proportion to the irradiation dose, showing D10 values of 0.66 and 0.65 kGy respectively. The irradiated beef eye of round had lower number of total aerobic bacteria (TAB) than nonirradiated one during the storage, but the TAB increased with higher ageing temperature (p<0.05). Especially, TAB increased sharply in non-irradiated samples aged at 25°C after 4 d (p<0.05). With increasing ageing temperature and ageing time, shear force values decreased (p<0.05). The color a* values of the irradiated beef were lower than those of the non-irradiated throughout the ageing period (p<0.05). As ageing time and temperature increased, the amounts of inosine monophosphate decreased and the hypoxanthine increased (p<0.05). Relatively high ageing temperature could be used at irradiated beef eye of round to shorten the ageing time.