Hydrocarbons detected in irradiated shell eggs during storage

Hydrocarbons produced by gamma-radiation of shell eggs were analyzed to det ermine how irradiation affects their production. Shell eggs were nonirradia ted or irradiated at 0.5, 1, and 3 kGy and the stored at 5 degrees C for 8 wk or at 30 degrees C for 10 d. Hydrocarbons were determined by a sequentia l procedure of lipid extraction by hexane, Florisil column chromatography, and gas chromatography. Hydrocarbons C-15:0, C-14:1,C-17:0,C-16:1, C-17:1, C-16:2, C-17:2, and C-16:3 were detected in shell eggs irradiated at 0.5 kG y or higher, but not in nonirradiated ones except C-15:0 and C-17:0. Storag e of nonirradiated or irradiated eggs had little effect on detection levels of hydrocarbons. The detection levels in all the samples irradiated at 1 a nd 3 kGy were in the order of C-16:2 + C-17:1, C-15:0 + C-14:1, C-17:2 + C- 16:3, and C-17:0 + C-16:1 from the highest to the lowest.