Food Irradiation

What is Food Irradiation ?

 The process of exposing food to ionizing radiation to destroy microorganisms, bacteria,viruses, or insects that might be present in the food.

Benefits of Food Irradiation:

 * Disease-causing germs are reduced and eliminated

 * The nutritional value of the food is preserved

 * Reduced spoilage in global food supply

 * Increased level of quality of assurance in international trade of food products

Are irradiated foods still nutritious?

Yes, the foods are not changed in nutritional value and they don’t become dangerous as a result of irradiation. At irradiation levels approved for use on foods, levels of the vitamin thiamine are slightly reduced, but not enough to result in vitamin deficiency. There are no other significant changes in the amino acid, fatty acid, or vitamin content of food. In fact, the changes induced by irradiation are so minimal that it is not easy to determine whether or not a food has been irradiated.

http://uw-food-irradiation.engr.wisc.edu/Facts.html

Which foods can be irradiated?

* Meat

* Poultry 

* Grains

* Many sea foods

* Fruits

*Vegetables

Does the irradiation process make food radioactive?

According to http://uw-food-irradiation.engr.wisc.edu/Facts.html No. Irradiation by gamma rays, X-rays and accelerated electrons under controlled conditions does not make food radioactive. Just as the airport luggage scanner doesn't make your suitcase radioactive, this process is not capable of inducing radioactivity in any material, including food. However, not all foods are suitable for irradiation. For example, oysters and other raw shellfish can be irradiated. 

How can I tell if the food has been irradiated?

A distinctive logo has been developed for use on food packaging, in order to identify the product as irradiated. This symbol is called the "radura" and is used internationally to mean that the food in the package has been irradiated. A written description may also be present, such as "Irradiated to destroy harmful microbes". It is not required to label a food if a minor ingredient of the food, such as a spice, has been irradiated itself.