Freezing and Irradiation

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Abstract
The possibility that foods which would serve as media for Clostridium botulinum, staphylococci or Salmonella might be handled in such a manner as to permit growth of these organisms was investigated. Frozen foods are no more likely to be involved in causing food infections and food intoxications than are foods preserved, by other methods. Conserving irradiation, the chief consideration is whether this method of processing can be used to disinfect foods. One of the important possible uses of irradiation is to extend storage life of foods at refrigerator temperatures above freezing. Data on flavor-difference-threshold doses of cathode-rays irradiation for milk and cream show that the use of ionizing energy for sterilization of foods and food products, can produce undesirable side reactions such as changes in odor, flavor, color, etc. Methods tried for obviating these side reactions are (1) freezing, (2) drying, (3) lowering the O2 content of the irradiated sample, and (4) addition of free-radical acceptors to the material being irradiated. None of these 4 techniques has been completely effective. At present there is no evidence that toxicity is induced in foods by ionizing radiations, but further work is required to establish this.