SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION AND USE OF 2-TETRADECYLCYCLOBUTANONE TOGETHER WITH OTHER CYCLOBUTANONES AS MARKERS FOR IRRADIATED LIQUID WHOLE EGG

The synthesis and characterisation of 2-tetradecylcyclobutanone (TCB) is described. Both 2-dodecylcyclobutanone and TCB were shown to be pre sent in liquid whole egg irradiated at doses of 2.5 and 10.0 kGy. Thes e compounds were absent from the unirradiated pasteurised samples. Usi ng gas chromatography and infrared spectroscopy, there was also eviden ce for the presence in irradiated egg of 2-tetradecenyl- and 2-tetrade cadienylcyclobutanone which are formed from oleic and linoleic acids, respectively. Authentic standards for these unsaturated cyclobutanones were not available commercially but the presence of 2-tetradecenylcyc lobutanone was substantiated by hydrogenating the egg extracts so conv erting this unsaturated cyclobutanone to TCB. Saturated and unsaturate d cyclobutanones appear to be specific products of irradiation and are potential markers for detection of irradiated liquid egg and probably other fat-containing foods.