USE OF IRRADIATION TO KILL ENTERIC PATHOGENS ON MEAT AND POULTRY

Ionizing radiation can be an effective step in a HACCP program to kill enteric pathogens associated with meat and poultry products. The populations of most common enteric pathogens such as Campylobacter jejuni, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, and Aeromonas hydrophila can be significantly decreased or eliminated by low-dose (< 3.0 kGy) treatments with ionizing radiation. Only the enteric viruses and the endospores of the genera Clostridium and Bacillus are highly resistant to ionizing radiation, and even these are affected to some degree. Temperature effects must be carefully considered, as reduced irradiation temperatures not only result in fewer adverse changes in the sensorial properties of meat and poultry products, but they also may demand that greater radiation doses be used to inactivate the foodborne pathogen. Equations have been developed that predict the effects of low-dose ionizing radiation treatments on several enteric pathogens associated with meat and poultry. In some cases substrate-specific differences in radiation resistance have been found. Irradiation in combination with vacuum packaging or modified-atmosphere packaging has increased both safety and shelf-life for some types of refrigerated products. High-dose irradiation treatments of enzyme-inactivated meat or poultry products in vacuo at subfreezing temperatures can be used to prepare sterile, shelf-stable products with excellent sensorial properties. Such products have been used extensively by military organizations, NASA during space flights, yachtsman, and hospitals. Contemporary research will be reviewed.