A STUDY ON CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF SPICES IRRADIATED BY ELECTRON BEAM

Quantitative changes in common organic acids and and inorganic acids from spices irradiated by electron beam were studied by Dionex-4000i ion Chromatograph. The results showed that the acids content of either chilli or the five-spice powder irradiated with a dose of 9.94 kGy did not undergo significant changes in comparison with the control samples. The flavour composition in the five-spicc powder irradiated by electron beam was also determined by Finnigan MAT-8230B gas chromato graph-mass spectrometer. and compared to the results by heating treatment (120C, 30 min). The eomporison indicated that the effect of electron beam treatment on flavour composition was less than that of heating.