August 2000 August 2000
Food Irradiation: What Is It?
What comes to mind when you think about "food irradiation"? If you are like most people, you probably have heard the term but are not sure exactly what it means. Here are some of the most common questions asked about this new technology.
Lynda Zimmerman, zimmermanl@missouri.eduWhy is food irradiated?
Irradiation destroys insects, fungi or bacteria that cause human disease or cause food to spoil. Irradiation makes it possible to keep food longer and in better condition. In certain fruits and vegetables, it inhibits sprouting and delays the ripening process.
Are irradiated foods just as nutritious?
Yes, irradiated foods are wholesome and nutritious. In fact, even at the higher doses of irradiation used to extend shelf life or control harmful bacteria, nutritional losses are less than, or about the same as cooking and freezing. At lower doses, nutrient losses are either not measurable or insignificant. Keep in mind that all forms of food processing -- cooking, freezing, canning, and even storing foods -- lower the amounts of some nutrients.
Does irradiation make food radioactive?
No. The energy used in food irradiation is not strong enough to cause food to become radioactive. Irradiation involves passing food through an irradiation field, but the food never touches a radioactive substance. During irradiation, energy passes through food much like a ray of light passes though a window. This energy destroys most of the bacteria that can cause disease, yet allows food to retain its high quality. Since the energy involved in irradiation is not strong enough to change the atoms of the food, and since the food never actually touches the radioactive source, the food cannot become radioactive.
Does eating irradiated food present health risks?
No. Scientists from the Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Energy, as well as from many universities within the United States reviewed several hundred studies on the effects of food irradiation before reaching conclusions about its safety. Independent scientific committees in Denmark, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Canada and the World Health Organization also have endorsed food irradiation. Food irradiation has been approved in 37 countries for more than 40 products.
Does irradiation destroy all bacteria, resulting in a sterile product? No. Irradiation pasteurizes food by using energy, just as milk is pasteurized using heat. At the level used, most harmful bacteria will be destroyed. Afterwards, surviving bacteria could start to multiply if the food were mishandled; for example, stored at an improper temperature. The level of irradiation used also does not kill certain spoilage organisms. This is for the protection of consumers. Spoilage bacteria will multiply and alert consumers not to use a product that has been improperly handled. Although irradiation is a useful tool for reducing food-borne disease risk, it complements, but doesn't replace, proper food handling practices by producers, processors and consumers. As with any food, consumers must take appropriate precautions, such as refrigeration and proper handling and cooking, to make sure that potentially harmful organisms do not present a problem.
How do I know if a food has been irradiated?
By law all irradiated foods must be labeled with the international symbol for irradiation, simple green petals (representing the food) in a broken circle (representing the rays from the energy source). The words, "Treated by Irradiation "or" Treated with Radiation must accompany this symbol
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For more information about food irradiation, visit Iowa State University Extension’s web site at http://www.exnet.iastate.edu/Pages/families/fs/rad/irradhome.html
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