Rapid detection of radiation-induced hydrocarbons in cooked ham

Solid phase microextraction (SPME) coupled with either gas chromatography-ionization flame detector (CG-FID) or multidimensional gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (MDGC–MS) was evaluated for its ability to detect volatile hydrocarbons produced during the irradiation of cooked ham. The chromatogram of an irradiated sample obtained using GC–FID showed a complex pattern of peaks, with several co-eluting peaks superimposed, indicating that the method was unlikely to resolve adequately the volatile hydrocarbons formed during irradiation. Using SPME–MDGC–MS 1-tetradecene (C1–14:1), n-pentadecane (C15:0), 1-hexadecene (C1–16:1), n-heptadecane (C17:0) and 8-heptadecene (C8–17:1) were detected in cooked ham irradiated at 0.5, 2, 4 and 8 kGy. This method allows the detection of most n-alkanes and n-alkenes produced during the irradiation of the majority of fatty acids in cooked ham, namely oleic acid, stearic acid and palmitic acid. SPME is rapid and inexpensive and does not require organic solvents. The proposed SPME–MDGC–MS method allows the determination of radiolytic markers in cooked ham in less than 115 min.