Effect of water and oxygen on gelatin crosslinking during process of 60Co-γ irradiation

Gelatin with 0%⁸0% water was packaged respectively by oxygen permeable and vacuum materials and irradiated for 8kGy by60Co-γ. The relationship of moisture and oxygen content with gelatin irradiation crosslinking were analyzed by methods including intrinsic viscosity, texture analyzer, scanning electron microscope photographs technology (SEM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) . Results showed that with the increase of gelatin water content, the intrinsic viscosity and gel strength decreased. The irradiated gelatin appeared network structure in SEM spectrum and two melting peakes and the temperatures were 20℃and 40℃ in DSC spectrum. The gelling temperature increased with the water content, but The crosslinking degree of irradiated gelatin by vacuum packaged had the stronger crosslinking reaction than the oxygen permeable packed one.It was suggested that there was a positive effect that existed between the crosslinking degree and water content, but negative effect with oxygen content. The gelatin quality would be ensured by controlling lower moisture and sufficient oxygen content in the gelatin before irradiating.