Low-Temperature Irradiation of Beef and Methods for Evaluation of a Radappertization Process

Abstract

An inoculated, irradiated beef pack (1,240 cans) study was conducted for the determination of microbiological safety for unrestricted human consumption. Each can contained a mixture of 10 6 spores of each of 10 strains of Clostridium botulinum (5 type A and 5 type B), or a total of 10 7 spores/can. The cans were irradiated to various doses (100 cans/dose) with 60 Co gamma rays at -30 � 10 C, incubated at 30 � 2 C for 6 months, and examined for swelling, toxicity, and recoverable botulinal cells. The minimal experimental sterilizing dose based on nonswollen, nontoxic sterile cans was 2.2