A MICROBIOLOGICAL SCREENING METHOD FOR THE INDICATION OF IRRADIATION OF FROZEN POULTRY MEAT

A microbiological screening method for the detection of irradiation of frozen poultry meat was developed on the basis of the combined use of total cell count by the direct epifluorescent filter technique (DEFT) and viable cell count by the aerobic plate count method (APC). Sample s of ground, deboned poultry leg were irradiated or not with dose leve ls of 3, 5 and 7 kGy using an electron beam accelerator. All samples w ere frozen before the irradiation treatment. The average values of the differences between DEFT and APC counts in control samples and those irradiated with doses of 3, 5 and 7 kGy were 1.14 log units for contro l samples, and 3.16, 3.68 and 3.79 log units for the irradiated sample s. A difference of at least 2 log units can therefore be considered as a limit value indicating probable irradiation treatment necessitating further investigations.