Question

How would you explain to a concerned consumer what food irradiation is, and its benefits? What negative effects, if any, are there regarding food irradiation? What stance do you take on food irradiation?

Answer 1

Food irradiation is a form of food processing that extends shelf life and reduces spoilage of food. Foods such as fruits, vegetables, spices and meats can be exposed to radiation to kill insects, moulds and micro-organisms. There are no detectable levels of radiation left behind in the products. Some foods, such as dairy foods and eggs, can't be irradiated because it causes changes in flavour or texture.

How Is Food Irradiated?

There are three sources of radiation approved for use on foods.

• Gamma rays are emitted from radioactive forms of the element cobalt (Cobalt 60) or of the element cesium (Cesium 137).
  Gamma radiation is used routinely to sterilize medical, dental and household products and is also used for the radiation treatment of cancer.
• X-rays are produced by reflecting a high-energy stream of electrons off a target substance (usually one of the heavy metals) into food. X-rays are also widely used in medicine and industry to produce images of internal structures.
• Electron beam (or e-beam) is similar to X-rays and is a stream of high-energy electrons propelled from an electron accelerator
  into food.

its benefits

Irradiation can serve many purposes.

• Prevention of Foodborne Illness