It is difficult to create a successful sterile cold-smoked fish model, part
icularly when very fresh fish are not readily available. This study tested
a low-dose ionization technique (1.5 and 3.0 kGy) as a means of eliminating
residual flora and ensuring sterility without altering sensory qualities.
Ionized cold-smoked salmon displayed no bacterial contamination during an 1
1 week storage period and was not considered as spoiled by a sensory panel.
in comparison, non-ionized smoked salmon, although aseptically processed,
contained a bacterial flora responsible for its spoilage. This model allows
assessment of the spoilage potential or activity of isolated bacterial str
ains as well as independent studies of bacterial and non-bacterial reaction
s in cold-smoked fish.