Treatment of meats with ionising radiations. V.—Radiation pasteurisation of beef for chilled storage

Abstract
Small‐scale experiments on the storage of cuts of beef and of beef fatty tissue at chilling temperatures showed that microbial spoilage is considerably retarded by doses of ionising radiation between 25,000 and 100,000 rads, as indicated by a delay in the development of “tainted” odour and flavour, by a retarded appearance of visible bacterial growth and by a slower rate of increase in the free fatty acid content of the fat.It is concluded that the margin between desirable and undesirable effects may be so small as to make the application of irradiation of doubtful benefit for the overseas transport of chilled beef.