Differential Microbial Responses to Gamma Irradiation in High- and Low-Moisture Food Systems

Abstract

Gamma-irradiation could be defined as an effective technique for microbial decontamination and shelf-life extension of multiple food products. The paper outlines the microbiological effects of gamma irradiation on an extensively broad divide of food items, namely perishable plant-based goods (strawberries) and antioxidant-rich spices (black pepper). Taking into consideration experimental data, we study the effects of irradiation on microbial load in terms of aerobic bacteria count, Gram-negative bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, molds, and yeasts. Another aspect served by us is the application of microbial methods such as Direct Epifluorescent Filter Technique/Plate Count (DEFT/APC) ratios. By comparing two fundamentally different food matrices-low moisture spices and high moisture fruits-fres