Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
TABLE 3.1
Extension of Shelf Life in Poultry
Dose
(kGy)
Storage
Temp (°C)
Product
Shelf Life/Evaluators
Ref.
Carcass
2.5
1
11-16 d/odor
91
Leg meat
3.6
2
c. 2 weeks/cooked taste
91
Breast
3.8
1
c. 3 weeks/cooked taste
91
Carcass
1.5
5
6-7.5 d
a
59
Carcass
2.5
5
15 d
a
59
Carcass
8.0
2
40 d
a
59
Breast
2.5
2
22 d/odor, flavor, tenderness
69
Carcass
5.0
5
c. 16-20 d/microbiology, visual, odor
90
Carcass
7.0
5
c. 19-24 d/microbiology, visual, odor
90
Breast
b
2.9
2
c. 8 weeks/microbiology, odor, flavor
82
Evaluation parameters not indicated.
a
Sous-vide prepared.
b
From Andrews, L.S. et al., Food preservation,
Rev. Env. Contaminant Toxicol.,
154,
13, 1998. With permission.
discoloration, and slime develop. At this point the carcasses have reached an incipient
spoilage level and are deemed unacceptable.
47
Both pigmented and non-pigmented
pseudomonads, which represent a small portion on the initial microflora are respon-
sible for ultimate spoilage especially at temperatures below 5°C.
66
The off-odors,
which are normally detected prior to slime formation, primarily consist of volatiles
including sulfides, esters, and ketones.
67
Maintained at temperatures of 4, 1, and
0°C, freshly eviscerated carcasses have a shelf life of 6, 8, and 10 days, respec-
tively.
59,63
In contrast to cold storage, which functions primarily by inhibiting or
retarding microbial growth, irradiation treatment can be targeted to eliminate and/or
reduce the presence of specific spoilage microorganisms. In particular,
Pseudomonas
and members of the
Enterobacteriaceae
are easily eliminated or drastically reduced
not only from poultry but also from other muscle-based foods including beef, pork,
especially if proper post-irradiation storage conditions such as temperature are main-
tained.
47,59,63,70
In addition, many if not all non-sporeforming pathogens including
Salmonella
,
25,36,59,60,68,71-75
Escherichia coli
,
77,78
and
Campylobacter
,
36,79,80
can be
destroyed. Psychrotrophic pathogens including
Listeria
,
26,28,36,81-84
Aeromonas
,
85
and
Yersina,
36,80,86
which are of more immediate concern, especially during protracted
refrigerated storage, may also be expected to be eliminated. Additional information
on pathogen control in foods by radiation is provided in reviews by Farkas
8
and
Monk et al.
9
Early studies reported that spoilage of poultry generally occurred within one
week of slaughter even if the carcasses were refrigerated at 2 to 4.4°C.
87
Following
a 7.4-kGy dose, however, the shelf life was extended fourfold using similar storage
Search WWH ::
Custom Search