Detection of Radiation-induced Hydrocarbons and 2-Alkylcyclobutanones from Peanuts

Radiation-induced hydrocarbons and 2-alkylcyclobutanones are formed from the fatty acids of irradiated fats. Peanuts were irradiated with a dose of 0.1∼10 kGy. The method consists of the extraction of fat from peanuts, separation of hydrocarbons and 2-alkylcyclobutanones with florisil column chromatography and identification of hydrocarbons by the GC/MS method and 2-alkylcyclobutanones by GC/MS/selected ion monitoring (SIM). Concentrations of hydrocarbons and 2-alkylcyclobutanones were linearly increased with the dose levels of radiation. The major hydrocarbons in the irradiated peanut samples were 8-heptadecene and 1,7-hexadecadiene from oleic acid and 6,9-heptadecadiene and 1,7,10-hexadecatriene from linoleic acid. 2-(5'-Tetradecenyl)cyclobutanone, one of 2-alkylcyclobutanones, was the highest amount in the irradiated peanuts. Radiation-induced hydrocarbons in the peanuts were detected at doses of 0.5 kGy and over, and radation-induced 2-alkylcyclobutanones were detected at doses of 1 kGy and over. These compounds were not confirmed in unirradiate peanuts.