Meat quality, ionizing radiation

After aflatoxin contamination, perhaps the next most important factor that has a negative effect on human health and food quality is the presence of food borne bacteria. Several routes for reduction of the risk are currently under extensive investigation. One such means of risk reduction is the utilization of ionizing radiation treatments on meat food products. Ionizing radiation has been demonstrated to be an effective method to reduce or eliminate several species of food borne human pathogens such as Salmonella, Campylobacter, Listeria, Trichinella, and Yersinia Chapter 23). If proper processing conditions are used, it is possible to produce high quality, shelf-stable, commercially sterile muscle foods. 

Effects of Ionizing Radiation Treatments on the Microbiological, Nutritional, and Structural Quality of Meats... 

Microwave energy is a non-ionizing form of radiation and as such it has been tested to study the effectiveness in destroying bacteria and extending the shelf life of meat products without affecting the quality, taste or reducing the weight of the product... 

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