Irradiation Applications in Dairy Products: a Review

Abstract

The demand for raw and fresh dairy products with the desired organoleptic characteristics and health benefits led to research in non-thermal processing technologies aiming to retain all the product qualities and nutrients. Irradiation is an emerging non-thermal technology used in destroying micro- and macroorganisms that might exist in food by exposure to either gamma (γ) rays from radioactive isotopes (cobalt60 or caesium137) or an electron accelerator (electron beam or X-radiation) under a controlled environment. With the endorsement of many international food and health organisations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO), irradiation is becoming more widely researched as a process to maintain quality, improve safety and reduce quarantine and post-harvest loss. Irradiation has the potential for allergenicity reduction and the provision of a sterile diet for immunocompromised patients. Unlike other food categories, the use of irradiation as a preservative technique on dairy products has received little attention due to the complexity of the product varieties. Whilst being accepted in some countries, the adoption of irradiation as an alternative measure of treating and preventing potential problems in the food chain faces strict opposition in many countries. In this review, the focus is on the radiation processing as an emerging technology and its specific application on dairy products.