Quality Evaluation of Gamma-Irradiated Tarakjuk Powder, Korean Milk Porridge

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This study was conducted to investigate bacterial growth, viscosity, color, and sensory properties of gamma-irradiated Tarakjuk powder, a Korean milk porridge powder, at 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10 kGy. The total aerobic bacteria in non-irradiated Tarakjuk powder was $2.56{\log}\;CFU{\cdot}g^{-1}$, whereas it was not observed within the detection limit of $2{\log}\;CFU{\cdot}g^{-1}$ in samples irradiated at more than 1 kGy. Spore-forming bacteria, however, were not observed in all samples within the detection limit of $1{\log}\;CFU{\cdot}g^{-1}$. The viscosity of rehydrated Tarakjuk after gamma irradiation significantly decreased from 16,770 cP to 4,060 cP when irradiated at 10 kGy. The redness ($a^*$ value) and yellowness ($b^*$ value) evaluated using a colorimeter were significantly increased according to the increase in irradiation dose (p<0.05), while there was no difference in color evaluation conducted by panels. The overall acceptance decreased as the irradiation dose increased, and the 5 kGy sample was 4.0 (normal) on a 7-point scale. As a result, it is considered that a gamma irradiation of 5 kGy is enough to sterilize Tarakjuk powder with a acceptable sensory quality.