Effects of Radiation Technologies on Food Nutritional Quality

Abstract

Generally, foods are thermally processed to destroy the vegetative microorganisms for food preservation. However, only thermal treatment triggers many unwanted biochemical reactions, which leads to undesirable sensorial and nutritional effects. Therefore, a number of nontraditional preservation techniques are being developed to satisfy consumer demand with regard to nutritional and sensory aspects of foods. Ensuring food safety and at the same time meeting such demands for retention of nutrition and quality attributes has resulted in increased interest in emerging preservation techniques. These emerging food preservation technologies can extend the shelf life of unprocessed or processed foods by inactivating the enzymes, reducing the food spoiling microbial growth rate or viability without altering the food quality attributes including flavor, odor, color, texture, and nutritional value. On the emerging technology, sphere promising results have been attained by the radiation processes. Ionizing radiation has been widely used in industrial processes, especially in the sterilization of medicals, pharmaceuticals, cosmetic products, and in food processing. Nonionizing radiation has been used in surface decontamination, as on the packaging sector. Although radiation techniques, as the other traditional or emerging techniques, can impair alterations that can modify the chemical composition and the nutritional value of foods, these changes depend on the food composition, the irradiation dose and factors such as temperature and presence or absence of oxygen in the irradiating environment. The aim of this chapter is to discuss retention or loss of vitamins and minerals in several food products submitted to a radiation process (gamma irradiation, short wave ultraviolet, microwave, and pulsed electric fields).

Preservation of hemp flour using high‐energy ionizing radiation: The effect of gamma radiation on aflatoxin inactivation, microbiological properties, and nutritional values

“…Small differences in values are in the domain of measurement error. The same data can be found in the literature (Caulfield et al., 2008; Lima et al., 2018).…”

Control of Foodborne Biological Hazards by Ionizing Radiations

“…Various forms of radiant energy are emitted from an electromagnetic radiation spectrum ( Figure 1 ). The ionizing irradiation is the process of applying ionizing energy to a material, such as food, to sterilize or preserve them by destroying microorganisms, parasites, insects, and other pests [ 2 ]. Ionizing radiations can remove bound electrons from an atomic or molecular structure, leaving the structure to become electrically charged or ionized [ 1 ].…”

Effect of postharvest UV-C irradiation as physical elicitor on anti-nutritional factor, B-vitamins and mineral profile of Clerodendrum volubile leaves

“…Previous researchers reported similar reduction in B vitamins of two varieties of Brazilian beans after irradiation (Villavicencio, et al, 2000). The losses in B vitamins as result of irradiation are minimal in comparison to other processes of conservation of foods and the studies relating to the effects of radiation on the B vitamin content of foods are still inconclusive (Harder, et al, 2016, Lima et al, 2018. Storage of the leaves (irradiated and un-irradiated) resulted in significant reduction in vitamins B 1 and B 2 , but pyridoxine (B 6 ) increased.…”