A method of testing for irradiation of poultry

Abstract

Summary A method for the detection of irradiated poultry is described. For chicken, free radicals produced by ionizing radiation within the hard crystalline matrix of bone can be detected by the technique of electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. The ESR signal increases linearly with dose over the likely commercial range and is stable over the probable shelf‐life under likely storage conditions. The lower limit of detection is equivalent to a radiation dose of 50 Gy. The test appears equally applicable to turkey, duck and goose.