Last Fall, a product recall occurred that had never happened before, that being imported shrimp contaminated with radioactive materials. With this recall, awareness of radioactive contamination was heightened, but with that increased awareness came misinformation and misunderstanding. This newsletter takes a look at a process that often gets lumped in with the shrimp recall, but the association may be unwarranted. Food irradiation is used to increase the safety of food and can even be done without radioactive materials. "How?" you may ask. Take a look at this newsletter and see for yourself how contemporary food irradiation techniques are safe, effective, and are slated to become
more prominent in food manufacturing
Irradiated Foods
In use for over 100 years, food irradiation is the process of exposing foods to high energy particles for the purpose of reducing bacteria and insect populations. This results in a longer shelf life and safer foods. Many processes can increase the safety of foods such as acidification, heating, pasteurization, and curing, but irradiation can reduce bacteria without changing the flavor, texture, or appearance of the product
Radioactive vs. Irradiated
One common misconception about food irradiation is that irradiated foods become radioactive. This is not the case. Food irradiation works by exposing food to a controlled source of radiation. Once the treatment is complete, no radiation remains in the food, much like a suitcase that passes through an airport X-ray scanner does not become radioactive afterward.
Radioactive materials are those that contain unstable atoms, which breakdown and emit those high energy particles. Irradiated foods, on the other hand, simply receive a controlled dose of those high energy particles, which dissipate on contact with the food and transfer their energy, damaging the DNA of those bacteria and eventual lead to reduced bacteria count. The foods and bacteria do not become a source of radiation themselves.
Radura
The Radura symbol (bottom) is required on all foods that have been irradiated. This was required by the FDA in 1986 due to pressure from consumer groups. Advocates of food irradiation argue that the symbol has slowed the adoption of food irradiation and scares consumers away from a process that most accept as safe once they learn how it works.
Modern Irradiation Methods
Historically, radioactive sources were used to irradiate foods. These sources were unstable isotopes that broke down over time and eventually needed to be replaced. They also needed to be properly disposed of after their radioactivity decayed past the point of usefulness.
This created a hazard at processing, potential hazards in foods if the source was damaged, and hazardous waste.
Modern methods of irradiation involve electron beams and x-ray technology, neither of which require radioactive isotopes to be created.
Instead, a high energy beam is created that penetrates the foods and packaging. While the process is still called "Irradiation", no radioactive materials are used during the process.
