[en] Saithe, caught off the western coast of Norway, were filleted immediately after killing, packed in plastic bags and irradiated using a cobalt-60 source at the Institutt for Atomenergi, Kjeller. The doses were 50, 100, 150, 50+50 and 50+100 krad. All samples were analysed for their total bacterial count, proteolytic activity, ammonia, total volatile acids, trimethylamine oxide, tri- and dimethylamine and formaldehyde. The organoleptic quality was evaluated by a panel of tasters. Double doses were more effective in reducing the total bacterial count than an equivalent single dose. A close relation was found between the bacterial count and the proteolytic activity. The trimethylamine oxide concentration was found to vary between 33 and 44 mg/100 g muscle, decreasing rapidly in non-irradiated fillets to 3 mg/100 g. In non-irradiated fillets trimethylamine oxide was mainly reduced to trimethylamine and in irradiated fillets to dimethylamine and formaldehyde. A split dose of 50+50 krad may have a favourable effect on the total bacterial number, but the analyses of proteolytic activity, the volatile acids and the trimethylamine indicate that a higher proportion of spoilage bacteria survive. The low proteolytic activity and the high content of DMA/FA prove that the split doses of 50+100 krad as compared with a single dose of 150 krad are particularly favourable in the case of saithe. (Auth.)