Irradiation parameters for the control of microorganisms in dried pet foods

Based on food irradiation researches and international irradiation practices for feed, the specified irradiation practice for dried pet foods, which includes technological index, were studied. The major technological index could be summarized as follows: the numbers of total bacteria, coliform bacteria and mould in dried pet foods should not be higher than 5.6 x106 CFU/g, 5.0 x104 MPN/100g and 4.5 x104 CFU/g before irradiation, and should be less than 1000 CFU/g, 30 MPN/100g and 25 CFU/g after irradiation; the load of Salmonella in dried pet food should be controlled from less than 1x103 CFU/25g to none after irradiation; the minimum effective dose for dried pet food irradiation was 4.0kGy and the maximum tolerance dose was 15.0kGy, the recommended absorbed dose range for pet food was from 4.0 to 15.0kGy. The applied minimal absorbed dose should not be less than the effective dose, and not be higher than the tolerance dose during irradiation. (authors)