Raman spectroscopic study of electron-beam irradiated cold-smoked salmon

Raman spectroscopy studies have been carried out to determine the effect of electron-beam irradiation on cold-smoked salmon. Vacuum packed samples were electron-beam irradiated at doses between 0 and 8 kGy. The irradiation at 8 kGy originated modifications on the protein secondary structure with a decrease (p < 0.05) in α-helix and the concomitant increase (p < 0.05) in β-sheet, turns and unordered content. Irradiation (⩾1 kGy) provokes a decrease of 1518 cm−1 band intensity of cold-smoked salmon indicating that the treatment could produce a decrease of carotenoid content.