Negligible Levels of Trans Fatty Acids Rise in Ground Beef and Frankfurters as Irradiation Doses Increase

Newswise — Irradiation at higher doses caused a small but statistically significant increase in artery-clogging trans fatty acids in ground beef and frankfurters, according to a study presented in the March Journal of Food Science, published by the Institute of Food Technologists. The study was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Eastern Regional Research Center in Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania, and the USDA Quality Assessment Research Unit in Athens, Georgia.

Ionizing radiation is a processing technology used to improve the microbial safety and extend shelf life of various foods. In the study, ground beef and frankfurter samples were irradiated at three different doses and stored for seven days (ground beef) or three months (frankfurters). After irradiation and storage, the results showed that while the low dose irradiation did not induce any change in trans fatty acid content, the increased irradiation caused a small but statistically significant increase in the dominant trans fatty acid. "Compared to variations in trans fatty acid content occurring naturally in meat and meat products, the increases due to irradiation were negligible," says lead researcher Xuetong Fan.

Read more about the study: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/121589659/PDFSTART

About IFTFounded in 1939, the Institute of Food Technologists is a nonprofit scientific society with more than 20,000 individual members working in food science, food technology, and related professions in industry, academia, and government. IFT serves as a conduit for multidisciplinary science thought leadership, championing the use of sound science through knowledge sharing, education, and advocacy. For more on IFT, visit http://www.ift.org.