A review of
possible
applications of
nanosecond
electron beams for
sterilization in
industrial poultry
farming
Yu.A. Kotov, S.Yu. Sokovnin*
and M.E. Balezin
Institute of Electrophysics, Ural Division,
Russian Academy of Sciences, 106 Amundsen St.,
620016, Ekaterinburg, Russia
(e-mail: sokovnin@iep.uran.ru)
Elaboration of principles of technologies for radiation
sterilization employing nanosecond electron accelerators in
the industrial poultry farming was studied. The obtained
results suggest that the URT-0.5 accelerator may be used to
sterilize a bone meal. It is possible to create the processing
line providing an output of 1500 kg per hour at the esti-
mated cost amounting to $0.01/kg. Was found that con-
sumer properties of the melange changed little up to an
absorbed dose of 50 kGy and approached the measure-
ment error. So, it is possible to use the URT-0.5 accelerator
as the basis of a process line with an output of about 800 l/h
at the estimated cost of nearly 0.14 $/l, which accounts for
not more than 5% of the melange cost. Consequently, the
use of nanosecond electron beams for sterilization in
industrial poultry farming is technically possible and eco-
nomically reasonable.
# 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Introduction
Foodstuffs must be safe for consumers. A micro-
biological infection presents one of hazardous factors.
Therefore, foodstuffs continuously undergo a micro-
biological test during their fabrication. The test for a
microbiological infection includes both a check for the
total microbiological content and the presence or
absence of some species of extremely hazardous patho-
genic microorganisms. The required level of the micro-
biological safety is achieved thanks to a set of sanitary
and hygiene measures taken during fabrication and
packaging of foodstuffs. Heat treatment is nearly the
only method today used to reduce the microbiological
content of foodstuffs. However, thermal sterilization
causes irreversible changes in properties of starting
materials. This is not always permissible. Chemical
methods, such as salting and candying, bring about a
similar result. Therefore, to prolong the shelf life of
foodstuffs, they are pasteurized and then cooled to a tem-
perature preventing the multiplication of microorganisms.
The radiation sterilization represents an alternative
approach since ionizing radiation has a universal lethal
effect on any biological objects. The radiation sterili-
zation dose does not exceed 25 kGy irrespective of the
kind of radiation (Tumanyan & Kaushanskii, 1974).
A drawback of the radiation sterilization is that it is
highly hazardous to the attending personnel. However,
this hazard can be reduced considerably by optimizing
the radiation source. Nanosecond electron accelerators
have been developed today for use in technologies
(Kotov, Sokovnin, & Balezin, 2000) providing a con-
siderable reduction in the cost of the radiation source
and the radiation shield of the attending personnel.
The main goal of this study was elaboration of prin-
ciples of technologies for radiation sterilization
employing nanosecond electron accelerators in the food
industry. The development was realized taking the
industrial poultry farming by way of example, because
0924-2244/03/$ - see front matter # 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
PII: S0924-2244(02)00244-3
Trends in Food Science & Technology 14 (2003) 4–8
Review
* Corresponding author.