How Safe Is Food Irradiation? Many leading health organizations have deemed food irradiation safe, likening it to the pasteurization of milk and pressure cooking of canned foods, processes that kill harmful bacteria and parasites.
Even astronauts are fed irradiated food to prevent food-borne illness while in space. In a May review published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition , researchers from the University of Arkansas reported that more than years of food irradiation research has demonstrated that it would make food safer and improve shelf life. Though the CDC reports a significant drop in the number of food-borne illnesses, contaminated food still causes too many sicknesses and deaths. The researchers concluded that new and underutilized technologies such as food irradiation need to be reexamined to enhance the safety of the food supply.
Yet, some critics point out that the safety of this technology may not be crystal clear, expressing concern about carcinogens, radiolytic compounds, and furans. There are extensive toxicological studies performed, and there is no evidence that there are mutagens or carcinogens formed because of irradiation. One type of radiolytic compound is 2-ACB [2-alkylcyclobutanone] that can be produced in small amounts in fat-containing foods, and it takes high levels of irradiation to do that.
Other compounds bandied about are furans. These are produced in foods containing sugar and acid, such as fruit juice. If you irradiate pineapple juice, you get increased furans but not as much as you get during heat processing.
Irradiated food is often treated in packaging, raising the issue of whether the technology affects packaging and transfers toxins to food.
According to Prakash, this is a legitimate safety concern. She reports that the FDA has evaluated and approved the use of these plastics for irradiation, but additional research needs to explore what happens when chemicals migrate from plastics into food during irradiation. Quality Is King The nutritional and sensory quality of irradiated foods is a hot topic.
The Organic Consumers Association posits that irradiated fruits and vegetables benefit the packer and grocer, not the farmer or consumer, because the consumer receives an inferior product that appears fresh but has depleted vitamins and enzymes. Some consumer reports have discovered altered taste and texture perceptions with irradiated foods. The high-energy ray is absorbed as it passes through the food and gives up its energy.
The food is slightly warmed and may taste slightly different after irradiation. At levels approved for use on foods, levels of thiamin are slightly reduced. It takes a very high dose to see damage to quality. At levels that destroy E. In general, vitamin loss during food irradiation turns out to be less than with heat processing. It takes very high levels of irradiation to kill enzymes. The doses used for fruits and vegetables do not produce much effect on enzymes. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission oversees facilities that use radioactive sources, and these facilities must demonstrate tight fail-safe measures, extensive and well-documented safety procedures, and worker training.
The branch of the FDA that regulates medical x-ray devices monitors electron beam and x-ray sources. No events have been documented that led to exposing the population to radioactivity. Food irradiation facilities do not become radioactive and do not create radioactive waste. Electron beams and x-ray facilities do not involve radioactive substances.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest responded to the FDA ruling on spinach and lettuce by saying that food irradiation should not be mistaken for a cure-all and suggested that the FDA adopt preventive measures starting at the farm level to control food-borne pathogens.
Irradiation is not a substitute for good agricultural and manufacturing practices or proper handling at home. Information about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not in any way endorse or support such therapy, service, product or treatment and is not intended to replace advice from your doctor or other registered health professional. The information and materials contained on this website are not intended to constitute a comprehensive guide concerning all aspects of the therapy, product or treatment described on the website.
All users are urged to always seek advice from a registered health care professional for diagnosis and answers to their medical questions and to ascertain whether the particular therapy, service, product or treatment described on the website is suitable in their circumstances. The State of Victoria and the Department of Health shall not bear any liability for reliance by any user on the materials contained on this website.
Skip to main content. Healthy eating. Home Healthy eating. Food irradiation. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. Irradiated foods and radioactivity Food irradiation procedure Benefits of food irradiation Effects of irradiation on food Community reactions to food irradiation Labelling of irradiated foods Proper food handling is still needed Where to get help. Irradiated foods and radioactivity There is a common misconception that irradiated food is radioactive.
Food irradiation procedure The food is exposed to ionising radiation, either from gamma rays or a high-energy electron beam or powerful x-rays. Benefits of food irradiation Some of the benefits of this food processing technique include: extended shelf life of some products less food spoilage reduced risk of food-borne diseases caused by micro-organisms such as Campylobacter , Salmonella, E. Effects of irradiation on food Some foods, such as dairy foods and eggs, cannot be irradiated because it causes changes in flavour or texture.
Community reactions to food irradiation People have expressed a number of concerns in relation to food irradiation. They include: radioactivity— a belief that irradiated food is radioactive and therefore harmful to eat.
Irradiated foods do not become radioactive. Extensive testing has demonstrated that irradiating food is as safe as canning, pasteurising and freezing lack of choice — Australian consumers have indicated they want to be able to choose between irradiated and non-irradiated foods. However, this is regulated by FSANZ through mandatory labelling effects on food hygiene — there are concerns that the extensive use of this method of food preservation may result in less stringent food hygiene and handling practices.
Labelling of irradiated foods If a food has been irradiated or contains irradiated ingredients or components, it must be labelled with a statement that the food, ingredients or components have been treated with ionising radiation. Irradiation also causes stunted growth in lab animals fed irradiated foods.
The FDA has never tested the safety of these byproducts. Irradiation has also been shown to cause the low-level production of furans similar to cancer-causing dioxins in fruit juice. Center for Food Safety is a tax-exempt c 3 organization. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No text may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without express written permission or proper citation.
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