Microbiological method for presumptive identification of irradiated poultry meat

The suitability of a microbiological procedure for the detection of irradia ted poultry meat has been evaluated. The methodology is based on the differ ences of the log microbial countings obtained through a direct microscopic method (DEFT) and traditional plate counting (APC). In particular, the pres umptive detection of irradiated samples is based on the fact that the diffe rence between the two counting is higher than 2 log cycles. In fact, in suc h conditions, the uncapability of many cells, detected by means of DEFT met hod, to Form colonies on plates is due to the presence of lethal or subleth al damages induced by stabilizing treatments. In poultry meat, in absence o f declared or evident treatments, the reduction of viability of the microbi al cells can be presumptively attributed to irradiation treatments.