Applicability of the EN 1785 Method for Detection of Paprika Irradiated with E‐Beam

Abstract

Electron beam (-rays) bombardment of spice is a feasible method of microbial sanitation in food products. Paprika spice has a high bioburden and it must be treated in order to reduce it, as well as to guarantee the absence of pathogenic bacteria. However, apart from killing vegetative microorganisms,-rays also cause changes in chemical components. This being the case, detecting metabolites generated by ionizing radiation is a viable way to detect whether or not a food has been irradiated. Among these methods, the detection of 2-alkylcyclobutanones (2-ACBs) has been proposed by the European Committee for Standardization, using method EN 1785. Detailed research on the production of 2-ACBs in irradiated paprika has not been published previously, but the present study detects 2-dodecilcyclobutanone and 2-tetradecylcyclobutanone in irradiated paprika. Evidence of a third metabolite, cis-2-tetradec-5′-enylcyclobutanone, derived from oleic acid, cannot be confirmed. However, the detection of 2-ACBs can only be used as a qualitative marker of paprika irradiation because its concentration does not agree with that of its parent fatty acids, or with the doses of irradiation applied. Practical Applications: Directive1999/3/EEC contains a list of foods and food ingredients that can be treated with ionizing radiation, where paprika is included as a spice. In this sense, 2-ACBs can be formed from free or esterified fatty acids contained in paprika when it is treated with-rays. Those 2-ACBs can be detected using the EN 1785:2003 method. Therefore, this study for the first-time demonstrates that the EN 1785:2003 is feasible method to detect if paprika has been irradiated.