Assessment of microbial contaminations in commercial frozen duck meats and the application of electron beam irradiation to improve their hygienic quality.

Background: High microbial load is a serious concern in terms of the health-related safety of products of animal origin. In this study, the microbial loads of commercial frozen duck-meat products, including bone-in whole raw, boneless sliced raw, and boneless whole smoked, were investigated for pathogenic contamination. The application of electron beam irradiation was also investigated.

Results: The samples revealed a serious microbial threat (10 -10  CFU g for total aerobic bacteria and positive for foodborne pathogens), which required effective decontamination technology. Electron-beam irradiation (0, 1, 3, and 7 kGy) could potentially improve the hygienic quality of duck-meat samples. The D values for Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella Typhi were 0.47 and 0.51 kGy, respectively. A direct epifluorescent filter technique and aerobic plate count (DEFT/APC) method was used for screening, while electron-spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy and gas chromatography with mass spectrometry were effective as confirmatory techniques to identify radiation-induced markers in frozen duck meat.

Conclusion: Electron-beam irradiation has the potential to ensure the microbial safety and hygienic quality of commercial duck meats. Identification of the samples for their irradiation history was also possible using radiation-induced detection markers, including the DEFT/APC, hydroxyapatite ESR radicals, and hydrocarbons. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.