Effect of cesium-137 radiation on the formation of N-nitrosopyrrolidine in bacon

To date, the majority of information collected on the irradiation of bacon has been based on /sup 60/Co as the radiation source. In this study, /sup 137/Cs was used as the radiation source for the treatment of bacon. Bacon prepared with 550 ppm sodium ascorbate and either 120 or 40 ppm sodium nitrite was irradiated at absorbed doses of 0.75, 1.5, and 3.0 Mrad. Results show that only at 3.0 Mrad was there a significant difference from the nonirradiated control in both residual nitrite and N-nitrosopyrrolidine (NPYR) values and that NPYR levels were significantly less in the 40 ppm nitrite bacon than in the 120 ppm bacon. Radiation of bacon prepared with and without ascorbate also showed an additive effect on nitrite destruction and NPYR reduction. The results suggest /sup 137/Cs may not be as effective as /sup 60/Co in reducing nitrite/NPYR in bacon.