ABSTRACT
Guinea fowl “(Numida meleagris) production is the”main basis of livelihood to many
Ghanaians with substantial “role in nutrition and food security.”Due to the nutritional
quality of guinea fowl meat, it has resulted in processing of the meat into various shelfstable and ready-to-eat” meat “products, such as”smoked, grilled or fried meat.
However, the current traditional guinea fowl meat processing methods do not always
guarantee a prolonged “shelf life and quality of the meat.” Smoking also exposes the
meat to “potential health hazards associated with smoked foods “mainly polycyclic
aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their derivatives.” The present study aimed at
investigating the effect of”gamma irradiation on the nutritional composition, smoke
quality (PAHs) and shelf life of smoked guinea fowl meat stored at refrigerated
temperature. Dressed guinea fowl meats were smoked, packaged and gamma
irradiated with doses of 0, 2.5, 5.0 and 7.5 kGy at a”dose rate of 0.74 kGy h-1
.
Nutritional composition and PAHs concentrations were determined using standard
analytical methods. Physicochemical, sensory and”microbial properties of the
treated”meats were determined over refrigerated storage period using appropriate
procedures. Gamma “irradiation significantly (p˂0.05) affected the” major nutritional
components of the meat. However, elemental (mineral) compositions “of the meat
were” not significantly (p>0.05) affected. Sixteen (16) U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (USEPA) priority PAHs were”detected in the smoked meat. Gamma
irradiation significantly (p˂0.05) reduced”the PAHs concentrations and their
carcinogenic derivatives drastically with undetectable “levels of benzo[a]pyrene and
other” four “high molecular weight””(HMW) “PAHs known to be carcinogenic”to
humans. The reduction of the PAHs concentrations were exponential with the
2
increasing irradiation doses. Titratable acidity (TA) and acid value (AV) decreased
significantly (p˂0.05) with”gamma irradiation, but increased with storage. pH of the
meat samples were however within the neutral range which was numerically
insignificant to affect quality characteristics of the processed meat. Bacterial isolates
identified on the basis of their mass spectra of”protein profiles on the smoked guinea
fowl meat were Staphylococcus aureus, Serratia marcescens and Enterobacter
cloacae. The total bacterial counts decreased with increasing doses of gamma
irradiation and storage. Irradiation had highly significant effects (p˂0.05) on the
reduction of microbial population. Irradiation had “no significant effects (p≥0.05) on
the sensory attributes” (aroma, colour, tenderness and taste) of the smoked guinea fowl
meat; but the taste of the irradiated meat samples was influenced at the end of the
seven weeks refrigerated storage period. Results obtained in the present study indicate
that the successful utilization of gamma irradiation as a potent advanced oxidation
process, will promote microbial decontamination, decomposition and elimination of
harmful carcinogenic PAHs with minimal effect on nutritional and physicochemical
properties, while enhancing the sensory and overall shelf life of smoked guinea fowl
meat.
Eastern Network, L (2021). Radiation Preservation Of Smoked Guinea Fowl (Numida Meleagris) Meat For Enhanced Shelf Life. Afribary.com: Retrieved April 14, 2021, from https://afribary.com/works/radiation-preservation-of-smoked-guinea-fowl-numida-meleagris-meat-for-enhanced-shelf-life
Library, Eastern Network. "Radiation Preservation Of Smoked Guinea Fowl (Numida Meleagris) Meat For Enhanced Shelf Life" Afribary.com. Afribary.com, 06 Apr. 2021, https://afribary.com/works/radiation-preservation-of-smoked-guinea-fowl-numida-meleagris-meat-for-enhanced-shelf-life . Accessed 14 Apr. 2021.
Library, Eastern Network. "Radiation Preservation Of Smoked Guinea Fowl (Numida Meleagris) Meat For Enhanced Shelf Life". Afribary.com, Afribary.com, 06 Apr. 2021. Web. 14 Apr. 2021. < https://afribary.com/works/radiation-preservation-of-smoked-guinea-fowl-numida-meleagris-meat-for-enhanced-shelf-life >.
Library, Eastern Network. "Radiation Preservation Of Smoked Guinea Fowl (Numida Meleagris) Meat For Enhanced Shelf Life" Afribary.com (2021). Accessed April 14, 2021. https://afribary.com/works/radiation-preservation-of-smoked-guinea-fowl-numida-meleagris-meat-for-enhanced-shelf-life