Food irradiation technology using electron beams and x-rays

Abstract

In this presentation we will discuss the technology of food irradiation using electron accelerators. Food irradiation has generally come to describe the use of ionizing radiation (e.g., energetic electrons and x-rays) to decrease the population of, or prevent the growth of, undesirable biological organisms in food. The many beneficial applications include for example, the disinfestation of insects in fruits and grains, the inhibition of sprouting in potatoes and onions, the delayed ripening of fresh fruits and vegetables, and the enhanced safety and sterilization of fresh and frozen meat products, seafood, and eggs. With special regard to food safety, bacteria such as Salmonella enteridis, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter jejuni and Escherichia coli serotype O157:H7 are the primary causes of food poisoning in industrialized countries. In 1999, food-borne illnesses were responsible for an estimated 5000 deaths in the USA alone. Ionizing doses in the range of only 1-5 kilogray (kGy) can virtually eliminate these organisms from food, without affecting the food's sensory and nutritional qualities, and without inducing radioactivity. Recognizing this fact, members of the World Health Organization's Food Safety Unit have described food irradiation as possibly the most significant contribution to public health to be made by food science and technology since the pasteurization of milk.