Radiation Preservation of Foods

• Radiation may be defined as the emission and

propagation of energy through space or
through a material medium.
• In food preservation radiation is
electromagnetic.
• The various radiations are separated on the
basis of their wavelengths, with the shorter
wavelengths being the most damaging to
microorganisms.
• Microwaves, ultraviolet rays, X-rays, and
gamma rays.
Cold Sterilization
• Ionizing radiations are important for food
preservation.
• Radiations that have wavelength of 2000 A° or less.
• Alpha particles, beta rays, gamma rays, X rays and
cosmic rays.
• Quanta contain enough energy to ionize molecules
in their paths.
• Since they destroy microorganism without
appreciably raising temperature, it is termed as cold
sterilization.
Units
• A roentgen is a unit of measure used for
expressing an exposure dose of X ray or gamma
radiation.
• A curie is a quantity of radioactive substance in
which 3.7 x 1010 radioactive disintegrations occur
per second.
• Rad is a unit equivalent to the absorption of 100
ergs/g of matter.
• The newer unit of absorbed dose is the gray (1 Gy
= 100 rads = 11 joule/kg; 1 kGy-105 rads).
 Ultraviolet Light

• Powerful bactericidal agent, with the most

effective wavelength being about 2,600 A.
• It is nonionizing and is absorbed by proteins and
nucleic acids leading to cell death.
• The mechanism of UV death in the bacterial cell
is due to the production of lethal mutations as a
result of action on cell nucleic acids.
• The poor penetrative capacities of UV light limit
its food use to surface applications, where it may
catalyze oxidative changes that lead to rancidity,
discolorations, and other reactions
 Beta Rays

• Beta rays may be defined as a stream of

electrons emitted from radioactive substances.
• Rays are emitted from cathode of an evacuated
tube.
• Linear accelerators are better suited for food
preservation uses.
• rays possess poor penetration power.
 Gamma Rays

• These are electromagnetic radiations emitted

from the excited nucleus of elements such as
60Co and 137Cs.

• cheapest form of radiation for food

preservation, because the source elements are
either byproducts of atomic fission or atomic
waste products.
• Excellent penetration power.
 X-Rays

• These rays are produced by the bombardment

of heavy-metal targets with high-velocity
electrons (cathode rays) within an evacuated
tube.
 Microwaves

• When electrically neutral foods are placed in an

electromagnetic field, the charged asymmetric
molecules are driven first one way and then another.
During this process, each asymmetric molecule
attempts to align itself with the rapidly changing
alternating-current field. As the molecules oscillate
about their axes while attempting to go to the proper
positive and negative poles, intermolecular friction is
created and manifested as a heating effect. This is
microwave energy.
• Microwaves lie between the infrared and radio
frequency portions of the electromagnetic spectrum
 APPLICATION OF
RADIATION
• Gamma radiation from either 60Co and 137Cs
• Use of electron beams from linear accelerators.
 Electron Beams/Accelerated
Electrons
• High efficiency for the direct deposition of energy of the primary electron beams
means high plant-product capacity.
• The efficient convertibility of electron power to X-ray power means the capability
of handling very thick products that cannot be processed by electron or gamma-ray
beams.
• The easy variability of electron-beam current and energy means a flexibility in the
choice of surface and depth treatments for a variety of food items, conditions, and
seasons.
• The monodirectional characteristic of the primary and secondary electrons and X-
rays at the higher energies permits a great flexibility in the food package design.
• The ability to program and to regulate automatically from one instant to the next
with simple electronic detectors and circuits and various beam parameters means
the capability of efficiently processing small, intricate, or nonuniform shapes.
• The ease with which an electron accelerator can be turned off or on means the
ability to shut down during off-shifts or off-seasons without a maintenance problem
and the ability to transport the radiation source without a massive radiation shield.
Effects of radiation on microorganisms
• Types of Organisms
– Gram-negative bacteria are more resistant to irradiation than gram positive.
– Spore formers are more resistant than non-spore former
• Numbers of Organisms
– larger the number of cells, the less effective is a given dose.
• Composition of Suspending Menstrum
– Sensitive when suspended in buffer solution than protein solution
– Proteins exert a protective effect against radiations, as well as against
certain antimicrobial chemicals and heat.
• Presence or Absence of Oxygen
– Microorganism are more resistant in absence of oxygen
• Physical State of Food
– resistance of dried cells is higher than that for moist cells.
• Age of Organisms
– Bacteria tend to be most resistant to radiation in the lag phase just prior to
active cell division.
– radiation sensitive in the log phase and reach their minimum at the end of the
phase.
 PROCESSING OF FOODS FOR
IRRADIATION

• Selection of Foods
• Cleaning of Foods
• Packing
• Packing in containers that will afford
protection against post-irradiation
contamination
• Blanching or Heat Treatment
Radappertization
• Radappertization is equivalent to radiation
sterilization or "commercial sterility," as it is
understood in the canning industry. Typical
levels of irradiation are 3(MK) kGy.
• may be achieved by application of the proper
dose of radiation under the proper conditions.
• The main drawbacks to the application of
radiation to some foods are color changes
and/or the production of off-odors.
Radicidation
• Radicidation is equivalent to pasteurization—
of milk, for example. Specifically, it refers to
the reduction of the number of viable specific
nonspore-forming pathogens, other than
viruses, so that none is detectable by any
standard method.
• Typical levels to achieve this process are 2.5-
10 kGy.
Radurization
• Radurization may be considered equivalent to
pasteurization. It refers to the enhancement of
the keeping quality of a food by causing
substantial reduction in the numbers of viable
specific spoilage microbes by radiation.
Common dose levels are 0.75-2.5 kGy for
fresh meats, poultry, seafood, fruits,
vegetables, and cereal grains.
EFFECT OF IRRADIATION ON
FOOD QUALITY
• The undesirable changes that occur in certain irradiated foods
may be caused directly by irradiation or indirectly as a result
of post-irradiation reactions.
• Water undergoes radiolysis when irradiated in the following
manner:
3H2O radiolysis H + OH + H2O2+ H2
• Free radicals are formed along the path of the primary electron
and react with each other as diffusion occurs.
• Irradiating under anaerobic conditions, off-flavors and off-
odors are minimized due to the lack of oxygen to form
peroxides .
• Minimize off-flavors is to irradiate at subfreezing
temperatures. The effect of subfreezing temperatures is to
reduce or halt radiolysis and its consequent reactants.
• Amino acids, the aromatics tend to be more sensitive
than the others and undergo changes in ring structure.
Among the most sensitive to irradiation are
methionine, cysteine, histidine, arginine, and tyrosine.
• Irradiation of lipids and fats results in the production
of carbonyls and other oxidation products such as
peroxides, especially if irradiation and/or subsequent
storage takes place in the presence of oxygen,
resulting in the development of rancidity.
• Softening of these products caused by the irradiation-
degradation of pectin and cellulose, the structural
polysaccharides of plants.
• High levels of irradiation lead to the production of
"irradiation odors" in certain foods
LEGAL STATUS OF FOOD
IRRADIATION
• Some countries have approved for food
preservation, some have approved for food
packaging materials by FDA.
• First permitted for use of spice and vegetable
seasonings .
• WHO has given approval for radiation up to 7
kGy as being unconditionally safe.
• Food irradiated have to be properly labeled
 Why are countries interested?
• Persistently high food losses from infestation,
contamination, and spoilage; mounting concerns over
food-borne diseases;
• Growing international trade in food products that
must meet strict import standards of quality and
quarantine,
• Increasingly restricted regulations or complete
prohibition on the use of a number of chemical
fumigants for insect and microbial control in food
 How much food is being
commercially
irradiated?
• Each year a few hundred thousand tonnes of
food products and ingredients are irradiated
worldwide.
• One factor influencing the speed with which
food irradiation is being adopted is public
understanding and acceptance of the process.
 What are the benefits which can be
gained
from irradiating food?

• Reduction of pathogenic microorganisms

• Decontamination
• Extension of shelf-life
• Disinfestationa
• Inhibition of sprouting
 Ethical Questions
• But is the use of this technology really
necessary?
• Does the irradiation process make food radioactive?
• What is the difference between the terms irradiated food and
radioactive food?
• Can irradiated food become toxic?
• Can eating irradiated food cause development of abnormal
chromosomes?
• Besides feeding tests using laboratory animals, have there
been any human feeding studies of irradiated foods?
• Are foods in which microbial toxin or viruses are already
present suitable for irradiation?
World-wide Utilization of Food
Irradiation
Can irradiation of food increase the risk of
botulism?
• It is true that bacterial spores such as those of Clostridium
botulinum are resistant to most preservation treatments,
including low doses of irradiation.. The survival of spores is
therefore not considered to introduce any additional hazard in
irradiated foods than in food subjected to other sub-sterilizing
heat-treatments, for example, in pasteurized or cooked foods.

• Food treated by irradiation or traditional pasteurization must

be handled, packaged, and stored following good
manufacturing practices (GMPs).

• High dose irradiation (30-60 kGy) can be used to destroy any

Clostridium botulinum spores present in the food.