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Food IrradiationHelping Improve Food Safety
Food IrradiationHelping Improve Food Safety
The UW Food Irradiation Education Group
The UW Food Irradiation Education Group
Why Food Irradiation?
Food SafetyWhy Food Irradiation?
Food Safety
• In 1999, food-borne disease was responsible for:†
– 76 million illnesses– 325,000 hospitalizations– 5000 deaths– $6-30 billion impact
• Recent news stories...
• In 1999, food-borne disease was responsible for:†
– 76 million illnesses– 325,000 hospitalizations– 5000 deaths– $6-30 billion impact
• Recent news stories...
† According to US Center for Disease Control
Why Food Irradiation?
Global Food SupplyWhy Food Irradiation?
Global Food Supply• Approximately 25% of worldwide food
production is lost after harvesting due to insects, bacteria and spoilage†
• Economic losses of $5-17 billion annually in the US alone
• In the news now….
• Approximately 25% of worldwide food production is lost after harvesting due to insects, bacteria and spoilage†
• Economic losses of $5-17 billion annually in the US alone
• In the news now….
† According to UN Food and Agriculture Organization
What is Food Irradiation?What is Food Irradiation?
• New commercial technology to eliminate disease-causing germs
• Comparable to heat pasteurization• Used for decades in NASA space missions• already used for sterilization of:
– medical devices, supplies and implants– wine corks and other food packaging materials– cosmetic ingredients
• New commercial technology to eliminate disease-causing germs
• Comparable to heat pasteurization• Used for decades in NASA space missions• already used for sterilization of:
– medical devices, supplies and implants– wine corks and other food packaging materials– cosmetic ingredients
How Does Food Irradiation Help?
How Does Food Irradiation Help?
• food is exposed to carefully controlled amounts of radiation
• radiation damages DNA of microbes and parasites– disease-causing germs are reduced– bacteria which cause spoiling are reduced– sprouting is slowed or stopped
• food is exposed to carefully controlled amounts of radiation
• radiation damages DNA of microbes and parasites– disease-causing germs are reduced– bacteria which cause spoiling are reduced– sprouting is slowed or stopped
What are the Results of Food Irradiation?
What are the Results of Food Irradiation?
• When used in conjunction with proper food handling procedures:– food-borne diseases are reduced or
eliminated
– shelf-life is increased
– the nutritional value of the food is preserved
– the food does not become radioactive
– dangerous substances do not appear in the foods
• When used in conjunction with proper food handling procedures:– food-borne diseases are reduced or
eliminated
– shelf-life is increased
– the nutritional value of the food is preserved
– the food does not become radioactive
– dangerous substances do not appear in the foods
What Foods Can Be Irradiated?What Foods Can Be Irradiated?Approval
YearApproval
YearFoodFood PurposePurpose
19631963 Wheat FlourWheat Flour Control of moldControl of mold
19641964 White PotatoesWhite Potatoes Inhibit sproutingInhibit sprouting
19861986 PorkPork Kill Trichina parasiteKill Trichina parasite
19861986 Fruit and VegetablesFruit and Vegetables•Insect Control•Increase Shelf Life•Insect Control•Increase Shelf Life
19861986 Herbs and SpicesHerbs and Spices SterilizationSterilization
Bacterial pathogen reduction
Bacterial pathogen reduction
1990(FDA)
1992(USDA)
1990(FDA)
1992(USDA)PoultryPoultry
1997(FDA)
1999(USDA)
1997(FDA)
1999(USDA)MeatMeat
Puchasing Irradiated Food?Puchasing Irradiated Food?
• All irradiated products must be marked with the “Radura”
• All irradiated products must be marked with the “Radura”
• Irradiated meats expected to be more widely available this summer
• If interested, ask your local grocery retailer
• Irradiated meats expected to be more widely available this summer
• If interested, ask your local grocery retailer
Benefits of Food IrradiationBenefits of Food Irradiation
• decreased incidence of food-borne illness
• reduced spoilage in global food supply
• increased level of quality assurance in international trade of food products
• decreased incidence of food-borne illness
• reduced spoilage in global food supply
• increased level of quality assurance in international trade of food products
Food Irradiation FacilitiesFood Irradiation Facilities
SOURCE PASS CONVEYOR
UNLOADING ELEVATOR
LOADING ELEVATORCONTROL CONSOLE
IRRADIATION ROOM
SOURCE HOISTS
JS8900 UNIT CARRIER IRRADIATOR
Three different energy sources
electron beamsThree different energy sources
electron beams• a beam of electrons is accelerated by an
electron gun– similar to a TV tube, accelerating electrons
towards the screen
• it can be turned on or off since it uses no radioactive material, but…
• electron beams can only penetrate about 1” into material
• a beam of electrons is accelerated by an electron gun– similar to a TV tube, accelerating electrons
towards the screen
• it can be turned on or off since it uses no radioactive material, but…
• electron beams can only penetrate about 1” into material
Three different energy sources
x-raysThree different energy sources
x-rays• generated by directing an electron beam
at a thin metal plate
• similar to medical x-ray sources
• generated by directing an electron beam at a thin metal plate
• similar to medical x-ray sources
C osm icR ays
G am m aR ays X -R ays
U ltrav io le t(S un R ays)
Vis ib leL igh t
Infra red(H ea t W aves) M icrow aves R ad io W aves
Three different energy sources
gamma raysThree different energy sources
gamma rays
• emitted from spontaneous radioactive decay
• “pencils” of naturally occurring non-radioactive cobalt metal (59Co)
• neutron bombardment in reactor to produce radioactive cobalt (60Co)
• “turned-off” by lowering Co source into storage pool
• emitted from spontaneous radioactive decay
• “pencils” of naturally occurring non-radioactive cobalt metal (59Co)
• neutron bombardment in reactor to produce radioactive cobalt (60Co)
• “turned-off” by lowering Co source into storage pool
Effects of radiation
How it kills bacteriaEffects of radiation
How it kills bacteria• radiation damages DNA of organisms
– if the damage is not automatically repaired the organism will be unable to replicate itself
• chance of DNA damage related to size of DNA– irradiation more effective on bacteria than
viruses
• radiation damages DNA of organisms – if the damage is not automatically repaired
the organism will be unable to replicate itself
• chance of DNA damage related to size of DNA– irradiation more effective on bacteria than
viruses
Effects of radiation
Effect on FoodEffects of radiation
Effect on Food• most food is made up of dead cells
– DNA damage is irrelevant
• living cells cause sprouting and spoilage– DNA damage delays spoiling and prevents
sprouting longer shelf-life
• most food is made up of dead cells– DNA damage is irrelevant
• living cells cause sprouting and spoilage– DNA damage delays spoiling and prevents
sprouting longer shelf-life
Effects of radiation
Side-effectsEffects of radiation
Side-effects• Nutritional effects
–macronutrients - proteins, carbohydrates, fats - unaffected
–micronutrients - vitamins - some reduction• comparable to other processing or storage
techniques including pasteurization, canning, or even cold storage
• No change in taste
• Nutritional effects–macronutrients - proteins, carbohydrates,
fats - unaffected–micronutrients - vitamins - some reduction
• comparable to other processing or storage techniques including pasteurization, canning, or even cold storage
• No change in taste
Costs of Food IrradiationCosts of Food Irradiation
• Like any food process, irradiation will add to the cost of the food– initially 2-3¢/lb for produce, 3-5¢/lb for beef– expected to decrease as it becomes more
common
• Typical food irradiation plant: $3-5 million– compare to
• moderately sized pasteurization plant: $2 million• small vapor-heat treatment for fruits: $1 million
• Like any food process, irradiation will add to the cost of the food– initially 2-3¢/lb for produce, 3-5¢/lb for beef– expected to decrease as it becomes more
common
• Typical food irradiation plant: $3-5 million– compare to
• moderately sized pasteurization plant: $2 million• small vapor-heat treatment for fruits: $1 million
Safety of Irradiation FacilitiesSafety of Irradiation Facilities
• Over 30 yrs of experience– 100+ medical sterilization plants– medical radiation treatment centers– bone marrow transplant centers
• No public exposure to radiation
• Independent regulators:– gamma rays: NRC– X-rays & e-beams: FDA
• Over 30 yrs of experience– 100+ medical sterilization plants– medical radiation treatment centers– bone marrow transplant centers
• No public exposure to radiation
• Independent regulators:– gamma rays: NRC– X-rays & e-beams: FDA
Facility Accidents and WasteFacility Accidents and Waste
• Severe accidents are not possible– electron beam and x-ray sources can be
easily turned off– gamma ray sources cannot blow up
• The facility itself cannot become radioactive
• no radioactive waste – used Co-60 gamma sources can be
recycled/regenerated
• Severe accidents are not possible– electron beam and x-ray sources can be
easily turned off– gamma ray sources cannot blow up
• The facility itself cannot become radioactive
• no radioactive waste – used Co-60 gamma sources can be
recycled/regenerated
Food Irradiation as Part of Comprehensive Food SafetyFood Irradiation as Part of
Comprehensive Food Safety
• food irradiation is not a replacement for comprehensive food safety
• in particular, food irradiation cannot reverse the spoilage process
• irradiated foods need to be stored, handled and cooked in the same way as unirradiated food
• food irradiation is not a replacement for comprehensive food safety
• in particular, food irradiation cannot reverse the spoilage process
• irradiated foods need to be stored, handled and cooked in the same way as unirradiated food
Benefits of Food IrradiationBenefits of Food Irradiation
• disease-causing germs are reduced or eliminated
• the nutritional value of the food is preserved
• decreased incidence of food-borne illness• reduced spoilage in global food supply• increased level of quality assurance in
international trade of food products
• disease-causing germs are reduced or eliminated
• the nutritional value of the food is preserved
• decreased incidence of food-borne illness• reduced spoilage in global food supply• increased level of quality assurance in
international trade of food products
Food Irradiation Means Safer FoodFood Irradiation
Means Safer Food
The UW Food Irradiation Education Group
http://uw-food-irradiation.engr.wisc.edu
The UW Food Irradiation Education Group
http://uw-food-irradiation.engr.wisc.edu
Radiation doseRadiation dose
• the quantity of radiation absorbed by the food
• measured in Grays (Gy)– 1 Gy = 1 Joule absorbed per kilogram of food
• international health and safety authorities have endorsed radiation levels for food up to 10,000 Gy (10 kGy)
• the quantity of radiation absorbed by the food
• measured in Grays (Gy)– 1 Gy = 1 Joule absorbed per kilogram of food
• international health and safety authorities have endorsed radiation levels for food up to 10,000 Gy (10 kGy)
What Foods Can Be Irradiated?What Foods Can Be Irradiated?
19631963 Wheat FlourWheat Flour 0.2-0.50.2-0.5 Control of moldControl of mold
19641964 White PotatoesWhite Potatoes 0.05-0.150.05-0.15 Inhibit sproutingInhibit sprouting
19861986 PorkPork 0.3-1.00.3-1.0 Kill Trichina parasiteKill Trichina parasite
19861986 Fruit and VegetablesFruit and Vegetables 1.01.0•Insect Control•Increase Shelf Life•Insect Control•Increase Shelf Life
19861986 Herbs and SpicesHerbs and Spices 3030 SterilizationSterilization
Bacterial pathogen reduction
Bacterial pathogen reduction
1990(FDA)
1992(USDA)
1990(FDA)
1992(USDA)PoultryPoultry 3(FDA)
1.5-3(USDA)
3(FDA)
1.5-3(USDA)
1997(FDA)
1999(USDA)
1997(FDA)
1999(USDA)MeatMeat 4.54.5
Approval Year
Approval Year
FoodFood Dose (kGy)Dose (kGy)
PurposePurpose
