International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Research Applications and Utilization of Accelerators

4-8 May 2009, Vienna

SM/EB-05

Evaluation on Physical Properties of Irradiated Cabbage (Brassica Oleracea L. var. Acephala)

T.C.F. Nunes, D.V. Rogovshi, R.C. Duarte, and A.L.C.H. Villavicencio

Instituto de Pesquisas Energèticas e Nucleares, IPEN-CNEN/SP, São Paulo, Brazil

Corresponding Author: thaisecfnunes@hotmail.com

The Brassica family is well known all over the world, and among their species, the cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala ) is the most consumed in Brazil, as an ingredient of salads and also usual in preparation of a typical Brazilian dish called feijoada. Food irradiation is a world wide spread technology used to improve the quality of vegetables extending the shelf-life and reducing microorganisms present in leafs. Color is the first sensorial aspect realized by consumers, being an important factor of refuse. The objective of this paper was to analyze the color of irradiated cabbage treated by electron beam from a linear accelerator at different radiation doses. The cabbage samples were irradiated at IPEN–CNEN/SP in an electron accelerator (Radiation Dynamics Inc. USA, 1.5 MeV, 25 mA) at doses of 1.0 - 1.5 kGy and also a control sample. Statistical analysis was done to compare the efficacy of different radiation doses. Slight differences in color measurement were observed in the irradiated samples, although the quality of cabbage was maintained until the 7th day of storage.