Safety in the operation of radiation sources and use of irradiated foods

Abstract

The utilization of ionizing radiation for the preservation of foods represents an important advance in the field of food processing. Careful evaluation of the wholesomeness of irradiated foods has been made, and work is continuing; but, thus far, these foods have not been found io be toxic to experimental animals or man. In animal feeding experiments, with a broad spectrum of foods tested, longevity, reproduction, and lactation performance in general are the same as for animals maintained on diets of unirradiated food. Investigations conducted io the present time with mice and rats have not revealed any evidence as to radiation induced carcinogens. While some radiation damage to the macronutrients and micronutrients has been noted, the nutritive value for these foods is equivalent to, or in some cases better than, that for heat processed foods. Ionizing radiation has been shown to be quite effective in alteration of proteins, with the result that certain foods exhibit reduced allergenic properties. Of clinical significance, also, is the fact that low radiation doses of 14,000 rads effectively interrupt the reproductive cycle of the trichinae present in pork, and thereby eliminate the public health problem of trichinosis. Under present methods of processing, none of the irradiatedmore » foods has induced radioactivity. High energy radiation in the area of 24 Mev has been shown to produce transient and short lived radioactive isotopes. In the event that accelerated electrons with high energies are utilized in radiation treatment of food, the potential hazard of these radioactive isotopes, which are induced, will then be explored. An excellent safety program in the operation of radiation sources has been achieved. Radioactive contamination of food cans, by gamma - irradiation with mixed fission products in the canal water, has been eliminated. Health physics procedures guarantee the safety of the product as to both contamination and induced radioactivity. Careful monitoring of personnel and equipment at the radiation sourre has resulted in an excellent record for safety. (auth)« less