Effects of gamma-ray, electron-beam, and X-ray irradiation on physicochemical properties of heat-induced gel prepared with salt-soluble pork protein.

The objective of this study was to investigate the physicochemical and textural properties of heat-induced gels prepared with pork muscles irradiated with gamma rays, electron beams, and X-rays. Pork muscles were irradiated at 5 kGy using the different irradiation sources, and heat-induced gels were prepared from the irradiated pork muscles at a protein concentration of 5 mg/mL. Each irradiation treatment produced lower water-holding capacity, protein solubility, apparent viscosity, hardness, springiness, cohesiveness, gumminess, and chewiness than the control gel prepared with non-irradiated pork muscle (P < 0.05). In addition, gamma irradiation was more influential than electron or X-ray irradiation on the negative impacts on water-holding capacity and texture of heat-induced gels. Therefore, this study suggests that the irradiation source could be one of the significant factors affecting gelling properties of irradiated meat.