The consumption of chicken meat contaminated with Salmonella spp is an important cause of salmonellosis worldwide. This food-borne disease is a public health problem and causes substantial economical loss. Irradiation process is an effective method for food preservation because it causes no significant change in organoleptic and nutritional food characteristics and destroys pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms. D10 values were calculated through the number of survivors for S. Typhimurium ATCC 14028, inoculated in chicken thighs, after being irradiated with different doses of gamma radiation - 0.0kGy; 0.1kGy; 0.2kGy; 0.3kGy; 0.5kGy; 0.7kGy and 0.8kGy . D10 value ranged from 0.241kGy to 0.480kGy. Considering the highest D10 value and the contamination level of Salmonella spp in chicken thighs acquired in São Paulo free markets - 0.4MPN/g -, the radiation dose recommended for this product in order to assure safety in relation to the presence of Salmonella spp is 3.8kGy.
Salmonella spp; chicken; food irradiation; gamma radiation
