Author(s): Mahfouth Al-Bachir
Article publication date: 2013-03-01
Vol. 31 No. 1 (yearly), pp. 59-67.
215
Keywords
Chicken meat, Gamma irradiation, Microbiological load, Sensory evaluation, Shelf life.
Abstract
The present study was conducted to evaluate the combined effect of gamma irradiation and refrigeration on the microbiological, chemical and sensorial characteristics of raw chicken meat. Chicken meat was irradiated at doses of 0, 2, 4 and 6 kGy of gamma irradiation, and kept in a refrigerator (1-4oC). General composition, microbial, chemical and sensory evaluation of chicken meat was done. Results showed that, all used doses of gamma irradiation reduced the total mesophilic aerobic plate counts (TPCs) and total coli forms of chicken meat. Shelf-life extension periods estimated on the basis of a limit of 6 log CFU/g for TPCs were 2, 4, 9, and more than 13 weeks for samples irradiated at 0, 2, 4, and 6 kGy, respectively. Irradiation had little or no effect on general composition (moisture, protein, and fat contents), total acidity, lipid peroxide and total volatile basic nitrogen. Sensory evaluation showed no significant differences between irradiated and non-irradiated chicken meats.