Food Irradiation
Process of exposing food to ionizing radiation to destroy viruses, bacteria, or insects in food, sprout inhibition, delay of ripening and improvement of rehydration.
How food is irradiated?
Bulk or packaged food passes through irradiation chamber on a conveyor belt, The food does not come into contact with radioactive material but passes through a radiation beam like a large flashlight.
Cobalt-60 is most commonly used radionuclide for food irradiation.
Effects on ionizing radiation:
- Causes disruption of internal metabolism of cells
- DNA Cleavage
- Formation of free radicals
- Disrupts chemical bond
Radiation used:
- Electron irradiation
- Gamma radiation
Unit of measure for irradiation dose:
Measured in the SI unit known as Gray (Gy)
In radiation processing of food does are generally measure in KGy (1,000 Gy)
Levels of Gamma Radiation:
- Radappertization
- Commercially sterile
- 25 Kgy
- Radicidation
- Reduction of non spore forming bacteria
- 5 – 10 KGy
- Radurization
- Target specific spoilage micro-organisms
- 75 – 2.5 KGy
Irradiation is most useful in 4 areas:
- Preservation
- Sterilisation
- Control Sprouting, Ripening and insect damage
- Control of food pathogens
Low dose application (<1 KGy)
- Sprout inhibition in bulbs and tubers 0.03 – 0.15 KGy
- Delay in fruit ripening 0.25-0.75 KGy
- Insect disinfestation including quarantine treatment and elimination of food borne parasites 0.07-1.00 KGy
Medium does application (1-10 KGy)
- Reduction of spoilage microbes to prolong shelf-life of meat, poultry and seafoods under refrigeration 1.50-3.00 KGy
- Reduction of pathogenic microbes in fresh and frozen meat, poultry and seafoods 3.00-7.00 KGy
- Reducing the number of microorganisms in spices to improve hygienic quality 10.00 KGy
High does application (>10 KGy)
- Sterilization of packaged meat, poultry and their products which are shelf stable without refrigeration 25.00-70.00 KGy
- Sterilization of Hospital diets 25.00-70.00 KGy
- Product improvement as increased juice yield or improved rehydration
Advantages:
- Little or no heating of food
- Can treat packaged or frozen foods
- No chemical used for preservation of frozen foods
- Low energy requirements
- Comparable change in nutritional values
- High automation
Disadvantages:
- High capital costs
- Possible development of resistant MO
- Inadequate analytical procedures to detect irradiation in food
- Public resistance
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