food irradiation: can it make food safer?
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Food Irradiation: Can it Make Food Safer?. History What is irradiation? Sources and facilities Doses used for foods Benefits Wholesomeness Quality Cost. History of Food Irradiation. 1921Schwartz publishes studies on lethal effect of irradiation on Trichinella in pork - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Food Irradiation: Food Irradiation: Can it Make Food Safer?Can it Make Food Safer?
• HistoryHistory• What is irradiation?What is irradiation?• Sources and facilitiesSources and facilities• Doses used for foodsDoses used for foods• BenefitsBenefits• WholesomenessWholesomeness• QualityQuality• CostCost
History of Food IrradiationHistory of Food Irradiation
• 19211921 Schwartz publishes studies on lethal Schwartz publishes studies on lethal effect of irradiation on effect of irradiation on TrichinellaTrichinella in in
porkpork• 19531953 “Atoms for Peace” program launches “Atoms for Peace” program launches
food food irradiation research in U.S.irradiation research in U.S.• 19551955 Research in Europe beginsResearch in Europe begins• 19581958 Amendment to FD&C act of 1938 Amendment to FD&C act of 1938
regarding food additivesregarding food additives
History of Food IrradiationHistory of Food Irradiation
• 19761976 Joint expert committee (IAEA, WHO, Joint expert committee (IAEA, WHO, and and FAO) declares food irradiation FAO) declares food irradiation a processa process
• 19801980 Same expert committee declares foods Same expert committee declares foods irradiated at irradiated at up to 10kGyup to 10kGy to be to be wholesomewholesome
• 19971997 Same expert committee declares foods Same expert committee declares foods irradiated at irradiated at ANY DOSEANY DOSE to be as to be as wholesome and safe as foods treated by wholesome and safe as foods treated by any conventional processing treatmentany conventional processing treatment
Who EndorsesWho EndorsesFood Irradiation?Food Irradiation?
American Council onScience & Health
American DieteticAssociation
American FarmBureau Federation
American MeatInstitute
American MedicalAssociation
American VeterinaryMedical Association
Animal HealthInstitute
Apple ProcessorsAssociation
ChocolateManufacturersAssociation
Council forAgricultural Science& Technology
Florida Fruit &VegetableAssociation
Food DistributorsInternational
Food and AgricultureOrganization
GroceryManufacturers ofAmerica
Health PhysicsSociety
Institute of FoodTechnologists
International FoodInformation Council
NationalConfectionersAssociation
National Cattlemen’sBeef Association
National FoodProcessorsAssociation
National MarineFisheries Institute
National MeatAssociation
National TurkeyFederation
National PorkProducers Council
Scientific Committeeof the EuropeanUnion
Produce MarketingAssociation
United EggAssociation
UK Institute of FoodScience &Technology
United Fresh Fruit &VegetableAssociation
Western GrowersAssociation
World HealthOrganization
Who in the World is Who in the World is Irradiating Food?Irradiating Food?
Argentina Bangladesh Belgium Brazil
Canada Chile China Croatia
Czech Republic Cuba Denmark Finland
France Germany Hungary India
Indonesia Iran Israel Italy
Japan Korea Malaysia Mexico
Netherlands Norway Poland Peru
South Africa Thailand United Kingdom USA
Vietnam Yugoslavia
What is Irradiation?What is Irradiation?
Effect of IrradiationEffect of Irradiationon Atomson Atoms
Incident photonIncident photon
The “Compton Effect”The “Compton Effect”
Effect of IrradiationEffect of Irradiationon Moleculeson Molecules
Effect of IrradiationEffect of Irradiationon Microorganismson Microorganisms
Sources Used for Sources Used for Food IrradiationFood Irradiation
• Gamma raysGamma rays– produced by Coproduced by Co6060 or Cs or Cs137137
– penetrate ~3 ft. materialpenetrate ~3 ft. material
• Accelerated electronsAccelerated electrons– produced by linear acceleratorproduced by linear accelerator
– penetrate ~3/4 in. (1.5 in. double-sided)penetrate ~3/4 in. (1.5 in. double-sided)
• X-raysX-rays– produced by linear acceleratorproduced by linear accelerator
– penetrate ~3 ft. materialpenetrate ~3 ft. material
A Word About RadioactivityA Word About Radioactivity
• Why FDA permits only Why FDA permits only CoCo6060 oror CsCs137137
– CoCo6060 has 1.3 MeV of has 1.3 MeV of Energy/photonEnergy/photon
– CsCs137137 has 0.67 MeV of has 0.67 MeV of Energy/photonEnergy/photon
– How much energy needs to How much energy needs to be applied to a material for be applied to a material for it to become radioactive?it to become radioactive?
A Word About Nuclear WasteA Word About Nuclear Waste
• Life cycle of CoLife cycle of Co6060
2727CoCo59 59 + + 00nn1 1 2727CoCo6060 2828NiNi6060
betabetagammagamma
Facilities - GammaFacilities - Gamma
* product already packaged* product already packaged* dosimetry recorded* dosimetry recorded* automated processing* automated processing* physical separation* physical separation
Facilities - Facilities - Linear AcceleratorLinear Accelerator
Electron GunElectron Gun
Irradiation DoseIrradiation Dose• Amount of energy absorbed per kg of Amount of energy absorbed per kg of
materialmaterial• kGy = kilo GraykGy = kilo Gray• Ranges:Ranges:
– High (sterilization): High (sterilization): >10 kGy>10 kGy– Medium (pasteurization): Medium (pasteurization): 1-10 kGy1-10 kGy– Low (disinfestation): Low (disinfestation): <1 kGy<1 kGy
ApplicationsApplications
High doseHigh dose
Medium doseMedium dose
Low doseLow dose
Current Approvals in U.S.Current Approvals in U.S.
Item Dose Date
Pork 1 kGy July, 1985
Spices 30 kGy April, 1986
Dried Vegetable Seasonings 1 kGy April, 1986
Fresh Fruits &Vegetables 1 kGy April, 1986
Enzymes 10 kGy April, 1986
Herbs 30 kGy April, 1986
Poultry 3.0 kGy September, 1992 (FDA 1990)
Red meat 4.5 kGy (fresh)7.0 kGy (frozen)
January, 2000 (FDA 1997)
Shell eggs 3.0 kGy July, 2000
Benefits of Food IrradiationBenefits of Food Irradiation
• Eliminates vegetative cells of:Eliminates vegetative cells of:– Escherichia coliEscherichia coli O157:H7 O157:H7– SalmonellaSalmonella– Listeria monocytogenesListeria monocytogenes– Campylobacter jejuniCampylobacter jejuni– OthersOthers
Benefits of Food IrradiationBenefits of Food Irradiation
• Shelf-life ExtensionShelf-life Extension
The Question of The Question of WholesomenessWholesomeness
Total of 1221 studies conducted up to 1979 Total of 1221 studies conducted up to 1979 on wholesomeness of 278 different foods on wholesomeness of 278 different foods fed to a variety of animals resulted in no fed to a variety of animals resulted in no significant difference between irradiated significant difference between irradiated
and nonirradiated foods in terms of:and nonirradiated foods in terms of:
toxigenicity, pathogenicity, or toxigenicity, pathogenicity, or mutagenicitymutagenicity
Summary ofSummary ofUS Army/Raltech StudyUS Army/Raltech Study
• Requested by FDA in 1976Requested by FDA in 1976
• 7 years, $8M cost7 years, $8M cost
• Rats, dogs, mice fed a variety of foods for 4 Rats, dogs, mice fed a variety of foods for 4 generationsgenerations
• FrozenFrozen vs. vs. CannedCanned vs. vs. IrradiatedIrradiated (56kGy) (56kGy)
– Highest incidence of neoplasms (Highest incidence of neoplasms (frozenfrozen food!) food!)– Lowest fertility after 3 generations (Lowest fertility after 3 generations (cannedcanned food!) food!)
– IrradiatedIrradiated food caused NO food caused NO
• reduction in offspring, increase in stillbirthsreduction in offspring, increase in stillbirths
Quality of Irradiated FoodsQuality of Irradiated Foods
Cost of Irradiated FoodsCost of Irradiated Foods
DoseDose TemperatureTemperature ThicknessThickness
TimeTime SourceSource
ThroughputThroughput TransportTransport
COSTCOST $0.02-$0.07/lb ?$0.02-$0.07/lb ?
Future of Food Irradiation?Future of Food Irradiation?
AAQuestionQuestionof Safetyof Safety
and and Choice.Choice.