The density matrix ρ describing a decaying system can be expressed in terms of correlations among observables belonging to the subsystems. Due to this structure and to the difficulties in measuring higher rank tensors of decay products for a single decay event, it is found that the mean value of ρ cannot be determined, in general, from measurements on the decay products. We also discuss the consequences of this conclusion as far as tests of quantum mechanics are concerned.

We illustrate a generalization of Bell's inequality which is not limited to spin-1/2 or photon systems and does not depend on model-dependent assumptions. We then construct a specific class of examples, in terms of the decaying state and the correlated observables to be measured on the decay products, for which this inequality is violated by quantum mechanics. Finally we discuss the basic and practical problems involved in the measurement of these correlations.

We show that a local theory conforming to the requirement of reducing to usual quantum mechanics for single-particle states and describing two-particle correlations in terms of mixtures violates the condition of perfect anticorrelation between spin components in the case of Bohm's version of EPR.