Poultry Meat Irradiation - Effect of Temperature on Chemical Changes and Inactivation of Microorganisms

Chilled (10°C) and frozen (-15°C) broiler carcasses initially artificially contaminated either with Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Salmonella typhimurium or Serratia marcescens (10⁶cfu/g) were irradiated (Co⁶⁰) with doses of 0.5, 1.0, 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 kGy. Ps. aeruginosa was eliminated by doses of 1.0 - 2.5 kGy, S. marcescens by doses of 2.5 - 5.0 kGy and S. typhimurium by a dose of 10 kGy. Characteristic radiation odor increasing with radiation dose and temperature was well removed by heat meat preparation. Radiation resulted in increase of acid and peroxide values and destruction of thiamine (up to 57%/10 kGy) and riboflavin (up to 27%/10 kGy), lower increase of fat indexes and lower destruction of vitamins was observed at lower irradiation temperature. Content of amino acids was not affected by the treatment.