Color Characteristics of Irradiated Vacuum‐Packaged Pork, Beef, and Turkey

ABSTRACT Changes in color of irradiated meat were observed to be species‐dependent. Irradiated pork and turkey became redder due to irradiation but irradiated beef a* values decreased and yellowness increased with dose and storage time. The extent of color change was irradiation dose‐dependent and was not related to myoglobin concentration. Visual evaluation indicated pork and turkey increased in red ness whereas beef decreased in redness as dose levels increased. Reflectance spectra showed that irradiation induced an oxymyoglobin‐like pigment in pork and that both oxymyoglobin and metmyoglobin developed in beef as a result of irradiation.