EFFECT OF HEAT TREATMENT AND GAMMA IRRADIATION ON THE TOTAL BACTERIAL COUNT OF SELECTED MILLET GRAINS

Abstract

Irradiation is one of the processing technologies currently available for the inactivation of microorganisms, and it has proved successful in ensuring the safety and extending the shelf life of foods (Mahapatra et al., 2005). Irradiation protects foods by reducing parasites, food borne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms, and eliminating pests and insects. Proper irradiation in terms of intensity and treatment time or irradiation rate can maintain, extend shelf life or improve the technological properties of food (Loaharanu, 1989),while providing an alternative to chemical conventional treatments (Toledo et al., 2007). The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)/
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)/World Health Organization (WHO) announced that dosages or irradiation not more than 10 kGy would not result
in toxic danger in the case of meat and meat products . It is a non-thermal treatment used for food preservation because it eliminates insects, insect
eggs and microorganisms, improving the hygienic quality and maintaining nutritional value of food. Ionizing radiation can improve quality of food by
inactivating the anti-nutritional factors and inhibiting the allergenic compounds. Moreover, it is a quick treatment that requires minimal sample preparation
and not depends on reagents.