AN HISTORICAL REVIEW OF FOOD IRRADIATION¹

Abstract

Food irradiation has gone through a long, but exciting period, from its conception at the end of the 19th century and a 50-year gestation period which ended with its birth following the violent and awesome beginning of the atomic age in the last days of World War I . It witnessed rapid growth during childhood and adolescence, a period where outstanding advances were made in the technology of food irradiation with the development of products meeting organoleptic, nutritional and sanitary standards equal to or exceeding those for foods processed by the established methods. Food irradiation now, with legal approval imminent, is at the threshold of entering adulthood with the realization of commercial application.161 Table 1. Chronology of some of the more significant events in the early history of nuclear science and food irradiation through

EVALUATION OF PCR AND DNA HYBRIDIZATION PROTOCOLS FOR DETECTION OF VIABLE ENTEROTOXIGENIC CLOSTRIDIUM PERFRINGENS IN IRRADIATED BEEF

“…Food irradiation provides an efficient and safe method for food preservation through the reduction or elimination of spoilage organisms and foodborne pathogens (Grant and Patterson 1992;Harewood et al 1994;Josephson 1983). The effects of gamma irradiation in controlling vegetative and spore-forming food 230 L A .…”

Disinfestation techniques for major cereals: A status report

“…Active insect pests and dividing cells of insects are more sensitive to these ionizing radiations, and sensitivity varies among insects belonging to different orders. An increase in irradiation dosage leads to temperature rise, which is either lethal to the organisms or affects harmfully by infecundity, delay in development, reduced locomotion, and arresting insect respiration (Josephson, 1983; Molins, 2001). Earlier studies have reported that the irradiation induces mutagenicity in arthropod pests, which either lead to lesions or cell death.…”

Research Progress in Viral Inactivation Utilizing Human Norovirus Surrogates

“…Radiation-based techniques for treatment of foods have numerous advantages such as the generally high efficacy against bacteria and maintenance of the treated food quality. The safety of consuming irradiated foods has been evaluated in large scale trials in animals with no ill effects observed, and, in particular, no teratogenic effects (Samuel, 2007). The most extensively investigated radiation-based treatments include gamma radiation, electron beam and X-rays.…”