Metabolomics approach to exploring the effects of changes in substance composition induced by different irradiation doses on the sensory quality of saozi

In order to ensure the quality of saozi and expand its usage scenarios, it is necessary to determine the appropriate dose of irradiation. Non-targeted metabonomics method was used to explore the influence of changes in composition induced by different irradiation doses on the sensory characteristics of saozi. With increased irradiation dose (0, 2, 5, and 8 kGy), the TBARS value of saozi increased, whereas aroma, taste, and overall acceptability scores of saozi significantly decreased (<i>p</i> < 0.05). A total of 147 differential components including amino acids, organic acids, fatty acids, purines, and pyrimidines were screened from different irradiation doses of saozi. Twenty significant change pathways were identified in the KEGG enrichment results, most of which involve amino acids, nucleotide substances, acidic substances, among others, indicating that radiation-induced changes in these substances were one of the main reasons affecting the sensory scores of saozi. Considering the sensory scores and changes in the composition of saozi, when using cobalt 60 for the irradiation treatment of saozi, the optimal irradiation dose should be less than 5 kGy.