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Food irradiation is the process of exposing food to ionizing radiation in order to disinfest, sterilize, or preserve food. It is, like most technology involving ionizing radiation, the subject of some controversy regarding its safety. Irradiation is used on other things as well, such as medical hardware. Largely to avoid consumer fear of the term "radiation", it is often called cold pasteurization or electronic pasteurization to emphasize its similarity to the process of pasteurization. Ionizing radiation is a type of particle radiation in which an individual particle (for example, a photon, electron, or helium nucleus) carries enough energy to ionize an atom or molecule (that is, to completely remove an electron from its orbit). ...
Sterilization (or sterilisation) is the elimination of all transmissible agents (such as bacteria, prions and viruses) from a surface, a piece of equipment, food or biological culture medium. ...
Various preserved foods Food preservation is the process of treating and handling food in such a way as to stop or greatly slow down spoilage to prevent foodborne illness while maintaining nutritional value, texture and flavor. ...
Irradiation is the process by which an item is exposed to radiation. ...
Pasteurization (or pasteurisation) is the process of heating food for the purpose of killing harmful organisms such as bacteria, viruses, protozoa, molds, and yeasts. ...
Food irradiation
 The radura logo, used to show a food has been treated with radiation By irradiating food, depending on the dose, some or all of the microbes and insects present are killed. This prolongs the life of the food in cases where microbial spoilage is the limiting factor in shelf life. Some foods (e.g., herbs and spices) are irradiated at such high doses (5 kilograys or more) that they are partially sterilized. It has also been shown that irradiation can delay the ripening or sprouting of fruits and vegetables and replace the need for pesticides. Irradiation may also create new chemicals in food that are unique to this process - chemicals that would not be created by cooking or other standard food processing techniques. Image File history File links Radura-Symbol. ...
Image File history File links Radura-Symbol. ...
A microorganism or microbe is an organism that is so small that it is microscopic (invisible to the naked eye). ...
Classes & Orders See taxonomy Insects are invertebrate animals of the Class Insecta, the largest and (on land) most widely-distributed taxon within the phylum Arthropoda. ...
Look up kill in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...
A herb (pronounced hurb in Commonwealth English and urb in American English) is a plant grown for culinary, medicinal, or in some cases even spiritual value. ...
Shop with spices in Morocco A spice is a dried seed, fruit, root, bark or vegetative substance used in nutritionally insignificant quantities as a food additive for the purpose of flavouring. ...
The gray (symbol: Gy) is the SI unit of absorbed dose. ...
Fruit stall in Barcelona, Catalonia. ...
Vegetables in a market Venn diagram representing the relationship between (botanical) fruits and vegetables. ...
A cropduster spreading pesticide. ...
The United Nations Environmental Program passed the Montreal Protocol on Substances that deplete the Ozone Layer banning amongst other substances all non-critical uses of methyl bromide, the most common fumigant for post-harvest quarantine treatment of fruit. Although in theory still permitted for quarantine applications, prices of the fumigant have increased dramatically as a consequence. Some governments and corporations think that irradiation is a legitimate replacement for such fumigants and in consequence some large agricultural nations of the world are currently building irradiation facilities for fresh fruit, although the food industry has been slow to adopt this technology on any large scale. Klaus Töpfer, UNEP Exec. ...
The Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer is an international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of a number of substances believed to be responsible for ozone depletion. ...
The chemical compound bromomethane is an organic halogen compound with formula BrCH3. ...
Fumigation is a method of pest control that completely fills an area with gaseous pesticides to suffocate or poison the pests within. ...
Hay bales after harvest in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany In agriculture, harvesting is the process of gathering mature crops from the fields. ...
Quarantine, a medical term (from Italian: quaranta giorni, forty days) is the act of keeping people or animals separated for a period of time before, for instance, allowing them to enter another country. ...
The United States Department of Agriculture has approved irradiation technology as an alternative treatment for fruits and vegetables that are considered hosts to a number of fruit flies and seed weevils. The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) have passed a motion to support this step committing the member states to implement this technology for their national phytosanitary programs. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, also called the Agriculture Department, or USDA, is a Cabinet department of the United States Federal Government. ...
Genera 500 genera & about 5,000 species Tephritidae is a family of insects that includes fruit flies. ...
Families Nemonychidae Anthribidae Belidae Attelabidae Brentidae Caridae Ithyceridae Curculionidae A weevil is a beetle from the Curculionoidea superfamily. ...
With its headquarters in Rome, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations programs seek to raise levels of nutrition and standard of living; to improve the production, processing, marketing, and distribution of food and agricultural products; to promote rural development; and, by these means, to eliminate hunger. ...
The World Trade Organization Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (WTO SPS Agreement) governs the measures applied in international trade by Member States that have the purpose of protecting human, animal or plant life or health. ...
Processes While the term irradiation pertains to all forms of treating food products with ionizing radiation, specific types of radiation treatments are used in the food industry today.
Radurization Radurization is the process of pasteurization by the use of radiation. It primarily used to treat foods that have a high moisture content and a high pH. The microbes that are targeted are mainly spoilage organisms. Meat and fish are the foods for which this process is mainly used. For dryer, acidic foods, yeasts and molds can be denatured. The treatment dose for radurization is approximately 1 kGy. The correct title of this article is pH. The initial letter is capitalized due to technical restrictions. ...
Closeup of yeast cells Yeasts are single-celled (unicellular) fungi, a few species of which are commonly used to leaven bread, ferment alcoholic beverages, and even drive experimental fuel cells. ...
Moldy Bread Molds, or mould, are various fungi that cover surfaces in the form of fluffy mycelia and usually produce masses of spores (most commonly asexual spores but sometimes sexual). ...
Absorbed dose is a measure of the energy deposited in a medium by ionising radiation. ...
Radicidation The process of radicidation is used to eliminate pathogens. This process kills vegetative cells only, meaning that it will not kill spores. Also, certain radiation-resistant vegetative cells can survive, including some strains of the bacterium Salmonella which have been found to be radiation-resistant. Refrigeration is required for the product post-treatment. The dose for radicidation ranges from 2.5 - 5.0 kGy. At this level some physical and chemical changes may be detected, depending on the type of food. For example, leafy vegetables such as lettuce are more sensitive to irradiation than foods with a tougher consistency. A pathogen or infectious agent is a biological agent that causes disease or illness to its host. ...
To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...
Species S. enterica Salmonella is a genus of rod-shaped Gram-negative enterobacteria that causes typhoid fever, paratyphoid and foodborne illness. ...
It has been suggested that Refrigerator be merged into this article or section. ...
Radappertization Radappertization involves treating the product to levels of radiation of approximately 30 kGy. This high level of radiation kills all vegetative cells and also destroys spores from organisms such as Clostridium botulinum. Such levels are generally deemed suffcient for clinical sterility, but not usually employed on food items. Based on recommendations of the International Consultative Group on Food Irradiation that was formed by the joint FAO/IAEA division many national legislation limit applicable doses to 10kGy for many food items. Binomial name Clostridium botulinum van Ermengem, 1896 Clostridium botulinum is a bacterium that produces the toxin botulin, the causative agent in botulism. ...
Technologies
Electron beam irradiation Electron beam irradiation uses electrons accelerated in an electric field to a velocity close to the speed of light. International and national regulations limit the energy of the beam to guarantee that no induced radioactivity occurs. Electrons have cross-sections many times larger than photons, so that they do not penetrate the product beyond a few inches, making it necessary to treat fruit and vegetables individually; on the other hand, treatment times are only a few seconds. Electron facilities rely on substantial concrete shields to protect workers and the environment from radiation exposure. Properties The electron is a lightweight fundamental subatomic particle that carries a negative electric charge. ...
In physics, an electric field or E-field is an effect produced by an electric charge (or a time-varying magnetic field) that exerts a force on charged objects in the field. ...
Induced radioactivity is when a previously stable material has been made radioactive by exposure to radiation. ...
Cross section may refer to the following In geometry, Cross section is the intersection of a 3-dimensional body with a plane. ...
Gamma radiation Gamma radiation is radiation of photons in the gamma part of the spectrum. The radiation is obtained through the use of radioisotopes, generally cobalt 60 or in very few cases cesium 137. It is the most cost-effective technology and is preferred by many processors because the good penetration enables administering treatment to entire industrial pallets or totes, greatly reducing the need for material handling. A pallet or tote is typically exposed for several minutes depending on dose. The environment is protected by a large concrete shield. With most designs the radioisotope can be lowered into a water storage pool in order to allow maintenance personnel to enter the radiation shield. In this mode the water in the pool absorbs practically all radiation providing a safe working environment for plant personnel. Other not commonly used designs feature dry storage by providing movable shields that eliminate radiation levels in areas of the irradiation chamber. This article is about electromagnetic radiation. ...
In physics, the photon (from Greek φως, phÅs, meaning light) is the quantum of the electromagnetic field; for instance, light. ...
Legend: γ = Gamma rays HX = Hard X-rays SX = Soft X-Rays EUV = Extreme ultraviolet NUV = Near ultraviolet Visible light NIR = Near infrared MIR = Moderate infrared FIR = Far infrared Radio waves: EHF = Extremely high frequency (Microwaves) SHF = Super high frequency (Microwaves) UHF = Ultrahigh frequency VHF = Very high frequency HF = High frequency...
A radionuclide is an atom with an unstable nucleus. ...
General Name, Symbol, Number cobalt, Co, 27 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 9, 4, d Appearance metallic with gray tinge Atomic mass 58. ...
General Name, Symbol, Number Caesium, Cs, 55 Series Alkali metals Group, Period, Block 1(IA), 6, s Density, Hardness 1879 kg/m3, 0. ...
One variant of gamma irradiators keeps the cobalt 60 under water at all times and lowers the product to be irradiated under water in hermetic bells. No shielding is required for such designs.
X-Ray irradiation Similar to gamma radiation, x-rays are a lower-energy substitute for the former. These systems are scalable and have good penetration, with the added benefit of using an electronic source that stops radiating when switched off. They also permit very good dose uniformity. However these systems require a great deal of electrical energy when operating, and exposure times are longer than with gamma rays. Like most other types of facilities, X-Ray systems rely on concrete shields to protect the environment from radiation. In the NATO phonetic alphabet, X-ray represents the letter X. An X-ray picture (radiograph) taken by Röntgen An X-ray is a form of electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength approximately in the range of 5 pm to 10 nanometers (corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 PHz...
Public perception The effects of food irradiation have been studied for over 60 years. Under certain circumstances some research suggests that irradiation forms new chemicals in food, some of which are uniquely radiolytic products. However, the levels of these compounds produced in irradiated foods have been deemed too low to present a meaningful risk to consumers. At very high doses, e.g. >6 kilogray, irradiation can reduce the vitamins and other essential nutrients; and negatively impact the flavor, odor and texture of food. At the doses typically used in irradiation treatment of food, e.g. <3.5 kilogray, these changes appear minimal. Independent scientific research on the subject has been extensive leading to endorsement of food irradiation by the US Food and Drug Administration, the United States Department of Agriculture and the U.N. World Health Organization as a safe, effective process. Radiolysis is the dissociation of molecules by radiation. ...
The gray (symbol: Gy) is the SI unit of absorbed dose. ...
A vitamin is an organic molecule required by a living organism in minute amounts for proper health. ...
An essential nutrient is a nutrient required for normal body functioning that can not be synthesized by the body. ...
Flavor or flavour (see spelling differences) is the sensory impression of a food or other substance. ...
JUNIOR Odor receptors on the antennae of a Luna moth An odor (American English) or odour (Commonwealth English) is the object of perception of the sense of olfaction. ...
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The United States Food and Drug Administration is the government agency responsible for regulating food, dietary supplements, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, biologics and blood products in the United States. ...
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, also called the Agriculture Department, or USDA, is a Cabinet department of the United States Federal Government. ...
WHO emblem The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations, acting as a coordinating authority on international public health, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. ...
Concerns have been expressed by public health groups that irradiation, by killing all bacteria in food, can serve to disguise poor food-handling procedures that could lead to other kinds of contamination. However, processors of irradiated food are subject to all existing regulations, inspections and potential penalties regarding plant safety and sanitization, including fines, recalls and criminal prosecutions. Subgroups Actinobacteria Aquificae Bacteroidetes/Chlorobi Chlamydiae/Verrucomicrobia Chloroflexi Chrysiogenetes Cyanobacteria Deferribacteres Deinococcus-Thermus Dictyoglomi Fibrobacteres/Acidobacteria Firmicutes Fusobacteria Gemmatimonadetes Nitrospirae Planctomycetes Proteobacteria Spirochaetes Thermodesulfobacteria Thermomicrobia Thermotogae Bacteria (singular: bacterium) are a major group of living organisms. ...
The Lachine Canal, in Montreal, is badly polluted Pollution is the release of harmful environmental contaminants, or the substances so released. ...
Others are concerned with the safety of irradiation plants and accidents that have occurred previously. The three recorded accidents on file at the IAEA in the history of irradiation facilities in the world were suffered by individual employees who entered the radiation chamber, disabling all available safety measures.
Based on the intrinsic inability of the techniques used for food irradiation to induce radioactivity into the targets it is impossible for an irradiation facility to release radioactive material into the environment with the processed items. Any problems that might occur are therefore contained in the radiation zone of the installation. Radioactive sources used in irradiators are thermally hot, and the repeated cycling of the source in and out of the shielding pool can cause thermal shocks that may eventually cause breakage of the cladding around the radioactive materials. Although this risk has been eliminated by modern source configuration, this is not commonly a major problem as by far the most common isotope employed is cobalt 60 which is not water soluble making a clean-up relatively simple. An irradiator in the Atlanta, Georgia area, however, had to be closed after the storage pool became radioactive after a leak of the water-soluble Cesium 137 isotope sources. As a result, the US NRC has banned cesium 137 for in water storage. These concerns do not apply to electron beam, or x-ray irradiators or the most common cobalt 60 facilities, in which the radiation is gone as soon as the source is switched off or in the case of cobalt 60 stored in water. Nickname: The Horizon City, Hotlanta, The Big Peach, A-Town, The ATL Official website: http://www. ...
Activist websites frequently quote the unknown cancer risk of radiolytic byproducts such as 2-dodecylcyclobutanone or 2DCB as a source of concern citing mainly the work of Henry Delincee and Beatrice-Luise Pool Zobel. On several occasions has Dr. Delincee clarified that he does not agree with the interpretation of such activists[1],[2]. Furthermore it has been established by the World Health Organization that sufficient research has been conducted to conclude that "based on the current scientific evidence, including the long-term feeding studies, 2-DCB and 2-alkylcyclobutanones in general do not appear to pose a health risk to consumers."[3]Lastly any specific findings are specific to foods that contain triglycerides excluding many foods commonly irradiated from such concerns altogether. FDA has asked for repeated and conclusive testing of mutagenicity of 2DCBs in irradiated meat and the study performed by Sommers, C.H. and published in October 2005 under the title "Toxicology Testing of the Unique Radiolytic Product 2-Dodecylcyclobutanone" concluding that "No 2-DCB induced mutagenesis was observed in any of the test systems, both with and without exogenous metabolic activation" confirming previous findings [4]. Triglyceride (blue: fatty acid; red: glycerol backbone) Triglycerides are glycerides in which the glycerol is esterified with three fatty acids. ...
Labeling Labeling laws differ from country to country. In the US as in many other countries labeling regulations require the usage of the Radura symbol at the point of sale together with usage of the word "irradiated" or "treated by irradiation". However, the meaning of the label is not consistent. The amount of irradiation used can vary and since there are no published standards, the amount of pathogens effected by irradiation can be variable as well. In addition, there are no regulations regarding the levels of pathogen reduction that must be achieved. Food that is processed as an ingredient by a restaurant or food processor is exempt from the labeling requirement.
Economics Widespread food irradiation is credited for some economic benefits. Some foods, particularly fruits and vegetables, are naturally restricted from sale on the global market, unless they are irradiated to prolong quality for transportation. Less spoilage at the receiving end means fewer discards, lowering the unit cost. Irradiation has also been used to reduce bacteria counts in seafood that is shipped over long distance.
Critics point out that the greatest food losses occur in warm, moist, lesser-developed countries, where the capital is lacking for existing storage technologies such as refrigeration, and other atmospheric controls. It might therefore be questionable if the most affected countries possess the resources to employ this technology. According to the IAEA registry, however, more and more facilities are licenced in such regions.
Food irradiation does not provide a convenient total solution to food safety, it is in fact one alternative in a variety of food processing techniques; Furthermore irradiation can not undo the effects of spoilage that has already occurred prior to treatment. Most national regulations therefore do not permit a decrease in hygienic standards in food handling if product is to be irradiated, but rather demand the same high quality prior to treatment. Food irradiation therefore can add to the complexity and cost of food processing if it does not replace any more costly alternative process. It should also be noted that irradiation does not prevent re-infestation or contamination of a product if exposed to the pathogen after treatment.
Insect pests can have a devastating effect on crop production. They can also transmit diseases that destroy crops and kill livestock and people. But, heavy reliance on pesticides raises environmental concerns and problems of pest adaptation and resistance. Hence, in many countries, minimizing insecticide use through the application of environmentally friendly and cost effective irradiation techniques has been given a priority.
Alternatives There are many alternative methods of food preservation, such as Ultra-high temperature processing, Vacuum Packing and Flash freezing however none can be so uniformly applied to such a wide range of foods as irradiation. Critics have stated that changes in Western dietary habits, and a seasonal availability of fresh produce could eliminate the need for irradiation. Various preserved foods Food preservation is the process of treating and handling food in such a way as to stop or greatly slow down spoilage to prevent foodborne illness while maintaining nutritional value, texture and flavor. ...
A brick of French UHT milk Ultra-high temperature processing (or UHT) is the partial sterilization of food by heating it for a short time, around 1-2 seconds, at a temperature significantly above 100°C, typically 135-140°C. The high temperature reduces the processing time, which reduces the...
Flash freezing refers to the application of supercooling in various kinds of industries whereby objects are quickly frozen by subjecting them to super low temperatures. ...
Irradiation is sometimes used to facilitate the long distance shipments of food that, as with most other food, may contain bacteria which could eventually cause spoilage if the food is not sold quickly. In that sense it is feared by some critics that irradiation may negatively contribute in the effects of globalization claiming that a local and seasonal production may be a more effective, safer approach toward food safety. Globalization (or globalisation[1]), although often described as the cause of much turbulence and change, is in fact the umbrella term for the collective effect, the change itself. ...
References - Sipher, A.T. Food Irradiation: An FDA Report. FDA Papers, Oct. 1968
- Delincee, H. and Pool-Zobel, B. Genotoxic properties of 2-dodecylcyclobutanone, a compound formed on irradiation of food containing fat. Radiation Physics and Chemistry
- WHO Statement on 2-Dodecylcyclobutanone and Related Compounds
Sommers, C.H. 2005. Toxicology Testing Of The Unique Radiolytic Product 2-Dodecylcyclobutanone
See also Binomial name Deinococcus radiodurans Brooks & Murray, 1981 Deinococcus radiodurans (former Micrococcus radiodurans) is an extremophilic bacterium, and is the most radiation-resistant organism known. ...
Irradiated mail is mail that has been deliberately exposed to radiation, typically in an effort to disinfect it. ...
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