ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Effect of gamma irradiation on trichromatic values of spices

J. Horváthová, M. Suhaj, and M. Polovka

Food Research Institute, Priemyselná 4, 824 07 Bratislava, Slovakia

E-mail: polovka@vup.sk

Received: 9 November 2006  Revised: 14 March 2007  Accepted: 15 March 2007

Abstract: The effect of γ-irradiation on trichromatic color values L*, a*, and b* was determined in black pepper, oregano, and allspice samples irradiated at average doses from 5 kGy to 30 kGy. Trichromatic values a* measured in methanol extracts of treated spices immediately after the irradiation process were significantly changed, but the subsequent storage of allspice and oregano caused much more distinctive alteration of these color values than the irradiation itself. Additionally, the differences in redness between the reference (non-irradiated) allspice and oregano samples and samples treated by γ-radiation gradually disappeared during the storage period. On the contrary, the post-irradiation storage of black pepper samples did not reveal any changes of a* values.

Keywords: irradiation - trichromatic values - black pepper - oregano - allspice

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.2478/s11696-007-0034-3

Chemical Papers 61 (4) 282–285 (2007)