Advantages of radiation preservation

After decades of research and development, proof of wholesomeness, political debates and public scrutiny, food radiation is established as a safe and effective method of food processing and preservation.

The food industry uses four major forms of radiation, including ultraviolet light, gamma radiation, electron bean radiation and microwave radiation. The radiation preservation of foods is considered a ‘cold’ process because there is only a slight temperature rise in the food during preservations processing. Radiation brings about lethal changes in the nuclear material of microorganisms and inactive the enzyme system without raising the temperature.

These features make the process attractive for heat-sensitive aspects of food processing such as nutrient retention. With only the small temperature rise associated with radiation, adverse changes in the food, such as altered flavor, odor, color, texture, and loss of nutritional quality are minimized.

The irradiated food therefore, retains more of the appearance taste and quality characteristics of fresh raw food. Radiation preservation has the advantage of speedy operation. However high cost restricts its used as a commercial practice.
Advantages of radiation preservation