ON THE USE OF IONIZING RADIATION FOR CONTROL OF MICROORGANISMS ON FRESH FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

Journal Article · Wed Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1962 · Horticultura

OSTI ID:4056422

Skou, J P

Experiments are reported on the effects of /sup 60/Co gamma radiation on the microflora on apples, potatoes, tomatoes, asparagus, and other fruits and vegetables. Increasing doses of radiation were found to induce increasing damage to plant materials in such a way that wounds have difficulty in healing, the material becomes softer, and cell permeability increases. For this reason it is not feasible to use high doses of irradiation on fresh fruits and vegetables other than those which will provide first-class market products. Radiopasteurizing doses reduce the number of microorganisms, and may change the flora so that relatively resistant organisms (for example, various yeasts and especially Aureobasidium pullulans or black yeast) may survive to further attack the damaged plant tissues. In natural populations of microorganisms there is wide spectrum of radiosensitivity, not only between the genera, but also within the single genus, owing to differences in development. Under the conditions studied, the results of radiosensitivity tests fit the formula: (N/N/sub 0/) = (D/ D/sub 0/)/sup -3/ better than that of Lea (N/sub 0/ being the number of organisms in the control, N the number after doses D, and D/sub 0/ the highest dose at which the number is still N/sub 0/, and a is a nondimensional gradient). Fresh fruit and vegetables could be divided into two groups according to the effect on them of irradiation. A decrease in deterioration with increasing doses was noted in the first group, containing acidic fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, and citrus fruits. These fruits allow only a limited flora to grow owing to their low pH. Climatic conditions prevailing at harvesting of softfruits greatiy influenced the storage life in both irradiated and control samples. The second group was characterized by increasing deterioration with increasing doses, except for sterilizing doses. In potatoes and carrots increasing rot may set in after sprout-inhibiting doses when these vegetables are bruised or stored under nonoptimal conditions of temperature and humidity. (BBB)

• Research Organization: Atomic Energy Commission Research Establishment, Riso, Roskilde, Denmark
• NSA Number: NSA-18-017524
• OSTI ID: 4056422
• Journal Information: Horticultura, Journal Name: Horticultura Vol. Vol: 16
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: Danish

Related Subjects

ACIDITY
AGRICULTURE
APPLES
ASPARAGUS
BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
CARROTS
COBALT 60
EQUATIONS
FOOD
FRUIT
GAMMA RADIATION
GEOPHYSICS
HUMIDITY
IRRADIATION
LETHAL DOSE
MICROORGANISMS
PLANT CELLS
PLANTS
POTATOES
PRESERVATION
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATION INJURIES
RADIATION SOURCES
RADIOSENSITIVITY
RECOVERY
REGENERATION
STANDARDS
STERILIZATION
STORAGE
STRAWBERRIES
TEMPERATURE
TOMATOES
VARIATIONS
VEGETABLES
YEASTS