Microbial contamination of fish preserves and its inactivation by ionizing radiation

Abstract

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of the components that make up fish preserves on the total microbial load, as well as the effectiveness of processing preserves with ionizing radiation to reduce the number of microorganisms that seed the product to a safe level and for increase its shelf life. The object of the study was fish preserves, as the most vulnerable products for seeding and development of harmful microorganisms, The samples were exposed to accelerated electrons with a dose equivalent to 4 kGy to reduce the microbial load. It has been confirmed that each of the components of the ready-to-eat product can be as a source of contamination of the finished product. The contribution of each of the components to the total contamination of preserves, changes in the number of microflora depending on the recipe, shelf life and the presence of preservatives have been studied. It has been established that under the action of ionizing radiation, the number of microflora in fish preserves is significantly reduced, thereby increasing the shelf life of the product. It has been experimentally shown that, despite the insignificant content of spices, they make a significant contribution to the overall contamination of the finished product due to bacterial spores developing under favorable conditions, reducing the shelf life of preserves. There is a synergistic effect of the combined action of ionizing radiation and the preservative sodium benzoate on microorganisms.