The radiation pasteurisation of broiler chicken carcasses

Synopsis

Irradiation of standard broiler carcasses within 24 hr. of slaughter with a dose of 0.15 Mrad of gamma radiation was sufficient to give a shelf life of more than six days at 5° C. followed by one day at 15° C. The carcasses were treated and stored in air and remained unchanged in appearance and odour. After cooking, treated and stored carcasses were indistinguishable, when tasted in blind comparison tests, from un‐irradiated material held at —20° C. for the same time. The storage conditions chosen were taken to represent the upper limits of commercial and domestic handling during distribution of unfrozen broiler chicken. The economics of the radiation process are discussed.