Food irradiation is a processing and preservation method. This method yields outcomes that are comparable to preservation processes like freezing or pasteurization. This process help enhance overall food safety, food security, and trade. Unlike other processes, under food preservation irradiation method, food products are subjected to measured doses of ionizing energy inside a tightly shielded irradiation chamber. A varying level of doses help extend product’s shelf life while parallelly eliminating insects, molds, bacteria present in the products.
A significant amount of food products goes through a number of stages before entering our homes and arriving at our tables. As a precautionary note, prior to cooking a meal, it is still crucial to clean fruit and properly cook poultry products. Other food products that are preferably consumed raw can be made safe with the help of food irradiation process. For last 23 years, India has been among he most prominent exporters of radiation hygienic spices and dry ingredients to a number of countries across the globe.
The following is a comprehensive list of things you should know about food irradiation:
Impact on micro-organisms.
This method of preservation by radiation helps effectively kill some of the harmful bacteria present in food products while retaining its critical nutrients. While this food preservation by radiation technology extends the shelf life of products, it can also mask the natural signals of food deterioration, which is a potential concern for health-conscious consumers.
Approved Foods for Irradiation:
Recently, a basket of food items has received approval for irradiation and are available for sale. These include onions, potatoes, wheat, flour, whole wheat flour, spices (both whole and ground), and dehydrated seasonings. Other than that, fruits like mango, sea products like prawns, and poultry products are currently in the process of approval in India and across the globe.
Underlying Concerns of Food Irradiation:
While addressing food-borne illnesses is essential, it is important to consider the underlying factors contributing to food poisoning. The Cancer Prevention Coalition suggests that food irradiation in India may be used by the food industry to conceal unsanitary conditions in factory-style processing plants. Furthermore, irradiation’s ability to significantly extend food shelf life may lead multinational corporations to relocate food production to developing nations, jeopardizing domestic farmers and ranchers. This emphasizes the importance of supporting local farmers and shopping within one’s community.
Safety Concerns Surrounding Food Irradiation:
Food preservation by radiation generates free radicals, highly reactive chemicals with the potential to harm other cells. These radicals can combine with existing chemicals in irradiated foods to create known toxins like benzene, formaldehyde, and lipid peroxides, as well as unique radiolytic products not naturally found in nature.
Symec Engineers Private Limited empowers food and healthcare sectors to access the advantages of radiation technology. Within our organization, we deliver secure, dependable, and cutting-edge irradiation plant services customized for medical products and devices.