Authors
1 Department of Food Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Islamic Azad University of Shahr e kord, Shahr e kord, Iran
2 Department of Medical Radiation Engineering and Radiation Research Center, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
3 Department of Medical Physics and Medical Engineering, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
4 Department of Molecular Medicine and Reproductive Endocrinology Research Center, Shahid Beheshty University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
5 Department of Medical Radiation Engineering, Shahid Beheshty University, Tehran, Iran
6 Private Veterinarian, Isfahan, Iran
Abstract
Background: Veal is a rich nutrient medium that provides a suitable environment for proliferation of veal spoiling microorganisms and common food-borne pathogens. In this study, the effects of irradiation on the veal microbiological quality and half life of minced beef during chilled storage was investigated. Materials and Methods: Twenty samples of minced veal were irradiated with doses of 2, 5, 7, and 10 kGy (Cobalt-60, gamma cell 220) and evaluated for their microbiological quality up to 10 days. Results: The results showed that gamma irradiation reduced the number of microorganisms in all the irradiated minced veal samples, with 2, 5, 7, and 10 kGy (P < 0.01). Moreover, the half life of the samples were increased considerably (P < 0.01). In addition, the results indicated that there was a significant difference in the number of coliformes between untreated and irradiated samples (P < 0.05). While, Staphylococcus aureus could not be detected in the irradiated samples with doses of 7 and 10 kGy. Conclusion: These results indicated that irradiation could be employed as an effective mean to inactivate common food-borne pathogens namely S. aureus and increases the half life of veal.
Keywords
1. | Al-Sheddy L, Al-Dagal M, Bazarra WA. Microbial and sensory quality of fresh camel meat treated with organic acid salts and/or biofidobacteria. Journal of Food Science 2004;64:336-9. |
2. | Coleby B. The effects of irradiation on the quality of meat and poultry. Int J Appl Radiat Isot 1959;6:115-21. |
3. | Mayer-Miebach E, Stahl MR, Eschrig U, Deniaud L, Ehlermann DA, Schuchmann HP. Inactivation of a non-pathogenic strain of E. coli by ionising radiation. Food Control 2005;16:701-5. |
4. | Unluturk S, Atilgan MR, Baysal AH, Tari C. Use of UV-C radiation as a non thermal process for liquid egg products (LEP). Journal of Food Engineering 2007;85:561-8. |
5. | Dogbevi MK, Vachon C, Lacroix M. Physicochemical and microbiological changes in irradiated fresh pork loins. Meat Sci 1999;51:349-54. |
6. | Davis KJ, Sebranek JG, Huff-Lonergan E, Ahn DU, Lonergan SM. The effects of irradiation on quality of injected fresh pork loins. 2004:67:395-401. |
7. | Borsa J, Lacroix M, Ouattara B, Chiasson F. Radiosensitization: Enhancing the radiation inactivation of food borne bacteria. Radiation Physics and Chemistry 2004;71:137-41. |
8. | Unluturk S, Atilgan MR, Baysal AH, Tari C. Use of UV-C radiation as a non thermal process for liquid egg products (LEP). Journal of Food Engineerin 2007;85:561-68. |
9. | Aymerich T, Picouet PA, Monfort JM. Decontamination technologies for meat products. Meat Sci 2008;78:114-29. |
10. | Iranian national standard no. 5272. Microbiology of food items and domestic animal feed. The Total Numeration Method of Microorganisms in 30 centigrade's degree. 2000. |
11. | Iranian national standard no. 437. Separation, identification and total 4 numeration of forms. 1995. |
12. | Iranian national standard no. 1194. The method of identifying and numerating coagolas Staphylococcus aureus (+) used for food items. 1987. |
13. | Dogbevi MK, Vachon C, Lacroix M. The effect of gamma irradiation on physicochemical and microbiological quality of fresh pork loins. Radiation Physics and Chemistry 2000;57:261-3. |
14. | Sweetie RK, Ramesh E, Arun S. Effect of radiation processing on the quality of chilled meat products. Meat Science. 2005:69:269-75. |
15. | Al-Bachir M, Zeinou R. Effect of gamma irradiation on microbial load and quality characteristics of minced camel meat. Meat Sci 2009; [Epub ahead of print]. |
16. | Kiss IF, Beczner Z, Zachariev G, Kovacs S. Irradiation of meat products, chicken and use of irradiated spices for sausages. International Journal of Radiation Applications and Instrumentation1990;36:295-99. |
17. | Kanatt SR, Chander R, Sharma A. Effect of radiation processing on the quality of chilled meat products. Meat Sci 2005;69:269-75. |
18. | Carrasco A, Tárrega R, Ramírez MR, Mingoarranz FJ, Cava R. Colour and lipid oxidation changes in dry-cured loins from free-range reared and intensively reared pigs as affected by ionizing radiation dose level. Meat Sci 2005;69:609-15. |
19. | Sommers C, Boyd G. Variation in the radiation sensitivity of food-borne pathogens associated with complex ready-to-eat food products. Radiation Physics and Chemistry 2006;75:773-8. |
20. | Badr HM. Elimination of Escherichia coli O 157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes from raw beef sausage by gamma-irradiation. Mol Nutr Food Res 2005;49:343-9. |
21. | Farkas J. Irradiation as a method for decontaminating food. A review. Int J Food Microbiol 1998;44:189-204. |