GAMMA RAY PASTEURIZATION OF WHOLE EVISCERATED CHICKENS

Journal Article · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1959 · Food Technology (U.S.)

OSTI ID:4235849

McGill, J N; Nelson, A I; Steinberg, M P; Kempe, L L

Dressed chickens show microbiological spoilage after a short holding time even at refrigerated temperatures. Although meat can be sterilized by ionizing radiations, the process has several disadvantages. Deleterious chemical reactions are produced during irradiation and increase upon storage. Pasteurization doses of ionizing radiations with subsequent refrigeration storage tend to minimize these disadvantages and at the same time increase the refrigerated storage life of chickens. This study was initiated to investigate the effect of pasteurization doses of gamma rays on microbiological and organoleptic quality of plastic-film packaged, whole, eviscerated chickens subsequently stored at refrigerated temperatures. Two gamma ray sources, Co-60 and partially spent fuel elements, were used in this study. The effectiveness of the two sources was investigated in separate experiments using two dosage levels. In the third portion of this study, the two sources were statistically compared at one irradiation level. After irradiation the chickens were stored at various refrigerated storage temperatures for several time intervals prior to examination. Results of the microbiological and organoleptic analyses are reported. An extension of the storage life at temperatures 34 deg and 40 deg F were found. Irradiation flavors at the dosage levels used in this study were not found to be a problem. However, at the high irradiation level, rancidity developed in storage before the chickens were spoiled due to microbiological activity. Rancidity was found to develop at a more rapid rate at the lower storage temperatures. For the factors investigated in this work, use of Co-60 resulted ftn a significantly smaller population of microorganisms after storage than did use of fuel elements. (auth)

• Research Organization: Originating Research Org. not identified
• NSA Number: NSA-13-018828
• OSTI ID: 4235849
• Journal Information: Food Technology (U.S.), Journal Name: Food Technology (U.S.) Vol. Vol: 13; ISSN FOTEA
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

BIOLOGY
BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
BIRDS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHICKENS
COBALT 60
FOOD
FUEL ELEMENTS
GAMMA RADIATION
MEAT
MICROORGANISMS
ODOR
PACKAGING
POLYMERS
PRESERVATION
RADIATION SOURCES
STATISTICS
STERILIZATION
STORAGE
TEMPERATURE