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

TO DETERMINE THE EFFECT OF IRRADIATION UPON THE WHOLESOMENESS OF FOOD. Progress Report No. 9 for Period: September 1959-March 1960

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:4145635

Feeding irradiated beef to dogs had no significant effect on their growth, feed conversion, fertility, or lactation as compared to dogs fed nonirradiated beef. Feeding irradiated beef had no effect on the level of hemoglobin, red blood cell, white blood cell, or differential white blood cell counts. Feeding irradiated (5.58 megarads) beef depressed food consumption. There were fewer pups born to the dogs fed the 5.58 megarad-irradiated beef, but there were only two bitches per treatment. It is concluded that the significant depression of food consumption and the questionable depression of the size of litters born to dogs fed irradiated beef as observed in this project should be investigated further. Male rats fed irradiated beef were protected to a greater extent by the subcutaneous administration of vitamin K than by the oral administration of this vitamin. The administration of testosterone to intact rats fed irradiated beef increased the incidence of the hemorrhagic syndrome. (auth)

Research Organization:
Texas. Agricultural Experiment Station, college Station
NSA Number:
NSA-14-023919
OSTI ID:
4145635
Report Number(s):
NP-9036
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English