Effects of γ Irradiation Dose on Sensory Acceptability of a Ready-to-Eat Spinach RELISH and Sorghum Porridge Meal

Abstract

To establish the highest irradiation dose, which was still organoleptically acceptable for producing ready-to-eat (RTE) sorghum porridge and spinach mor ? go meal if irradiation could be used as a preservation method. Study design: In order to produce a safe RTE meal made of these two meal components, a consumer sensory acceptability test was done on the meal irradiated at different doses of 0, 10, 20 and 30 kGy. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Food Science, University of Pretoria, between January 2000 to December 2000. Methodology: A consumer sensory acceptability test was done on the two meal components irradiated at different doses of 0, 10, 20 and 30 kGy. The sensory acceptability test on the appearance, texture, taste, and overall acceptability of the RTE meal components were evaluated. Results: The consumer overall acceptability test results showed that the two components of the meal remained acceptable up to a dose of 10 kGy (p < 0.05). The loss in appearance was observed by the panellists in the two components of the meal where the texture changed with increased irradiation doses (p < 0.05). However, irradiation had less effect on the taste of the spinach than on the sorghum porridge (p < 0.05). Overall, irradiating up to 10 kGy produced a RTE meal with acceptable sensory qualities.