The effectiveness of using innovative technologies of ionizing radiation for disinfection of fish products

Fish products can be susceptible to various types of microbial contamination, which in turn can negatively impact consumer health. A comprehensive approach to ensuring the microbial and chemical safety of fish products, including the use of ionizing radiation, is an important step toward ensuring food safety and protecting public health. The aim of our study was to scientifically substantiate the conditions for the effective use of innovative ionizing radiation technologies for the disinfection of fish products. We studied the effect of the absorbed dose of irradiated fish products on their physicochemical properties, structural integrity, functional properties, safety indicators, and nutritional value. For this purpose, we determined the quantities of mesophilic aerobic and facultative anaerobic microorganisms, the total number of yeasts and molds at various time points, and recorded changes in the physicochemical properties and structural integrity of the fish products. Fish product samples were also tested over a 42-day period under various doses of ionizing radiation (1, 3, and 5 kGy). Ionizing radiation was shown to be effective not only in killing pathogenic microorganisms but also in extending the shelf life of products while maintaining standard quality indicators. This is particularly important for fish products, which have short shelf lives and are susceptible to rapid spoilage even with minor deviations from established storage and transportation conditions. Limitations of the study. The safety of using radiation technologies has not been studied.

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