Can Poultry Be Irradiated?
In 1992, the USDA approved a rule to permit irradiation of raw, fresh or frozen packaged poultry to control certain common bacteria on raw poultry that can cause illness when poultry is undercooked or otherwise mishandled. The rule permits irradiation at 1.5 to 3.0 kiloGray, the smallest, most practical “dose” of irradiation for bacterial control with the goal of reducing the potential for foodborne illness. Only small quantities of poultry have been treated. Packages of irradiated poultry would be easily recognizable at the store because they must carry the international radiation logo as well as the words “Treated with Irradiation” or “Treated by Irradiation.” What Foodborne Organisms Are Associated with Turkey? Salmonella Enteritidis may be found in the intestinal tracts of livestock, poultry, dogs, cats and other warm-blooded animals, and inside fresh shell eggs. Salmonella infections occur when a person ingests live Salmonella bacteria, which then survive digestion and reproduce i
