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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

LOW-LEVEL RADIATION PRESERVATION OF FISHERY PRODUCTS, OCTOBER 1960-OCTOBER 1962

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:4122449
Shucked clam meats can be held at 33 deg F for about five days. When a dose of 50,000 rads was applied to air-packed clams, the shelf life rt that temperature was approximately doubled; that is, spoilage occurred at about the tenth day of storage at 53 deg F. A dose of 150,000 rads increased the shelf life by about three times. At a level of 350,000 rads there was approximately a fourfold increase in storage life. After application of 450,000 rads, clam meats could be kept for at least 30 days at 33 deg F. At 42 deg F unirradiated clam meats have a probable shelf life of about two days. Radiation at any level up to 350,000 rads extends this time to more than ten days. Doses of 450,000 or 550,000 rads increase the holding time to more than 20 days before spoilage occurs. Vacuum-packed irradiated clams have the same storage properties as air- packed clams. At 32 to 33 deg F haddock can be kept for about 11 to 12 days before spoilage occurs. Irradiation of air-packed haddock at a level of 50,000 rads resulted in a response greatly different from that of clams. Instead of a doubling of the storage life, an increase of about only one-third was found. Spoilage occurred at about the twentieth day of storage. Radiation levels of 150,000 to 350,000 rads resulted in increasing storage life to at least 30 days at 33 deg F. At a storage temperature of 42 deg F air-packed haddock irradiated at 50,000 rads spoiled after 10 days of storage. At levels between 150,000 and 300,000 rads the fillets could be kept for at least 30 days. Packing the fillets under vacuum did not change the storage picture to any significant degree. Process parameters are presented for the radiation processing of clams and haddock. Results are included from taste tests on irradiated clams and haddock. (C.H.)
Research Organization:
Fish and Wildlife Service. Technological Lab., Gloucester, Mass.
NSA Number:
NSA-18-011647
OSTI ID:
4122449
Report Number(s):
TID-18285
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English