[The effect of ionizing radiation on structural changes in the energy nutrients in animal feed].

For the purpose of testing the effect of ionizing radiation, feeds for dogs (meat feed mixture VETACAN and loose feed mixture VETAVIT) irradiated by 60Co radioisotope at the dose of 25 kGy/kg were studied for 60 days. It has been found out that the total volume of energetic and non-energetic nutrients is not changed. Qualitative structure, however, displays a significant, on the average 35% disintegration of essential amino acids, decrease of proteins and increase of free ammonic bases. A significant oxidation effect of radiation is exerted on the decomposition of fats with a release of free fatty acids from glycerol bond in a process similar to rancidification (from 13.3-37.10 mg/g in meat mixture, from 103.1-103.04-135.04 mg/g in loose mixture). A certain disintegration of nutrients, only within the limits of significance, occurred also in the saccharide proportion of the loose feed mixture (acidity of water extract 348.8-403.99-436.60 mg/100 g). It has been proved that radiosterilization reliably secures microbiological and mycological sanitation of feeds and causes no sensory changes noticeable by human senses. It follows from the results that ionizing radiation has a pronounced antimicrobial and antimycotic effectiveness. However, it causes significant structural changes of energetic nutrients in the feeds of animal as well as of vegetable origin.