Sometime, the fresh looking food may contain harmful bacteria. Contaminated food causes food poisoning, which, in rare instances, may be fatal. The concern over the prevalence of food-borne diseases is mounting. The US Food and Drug Administration recognised that radiation processing is the only known method to eliminate deadly bacteria in raw meat.

Harmful bacteria such as E-coli thrive in meat. This bacteria can cause haemorrhagic colitis leading to high fever, vomiting and bloody diarrhoea. The patient is dehydrated. If the patient has weakened or immature immunity system, the disease may progress to kidney damage.

Radiation processing is useful in preservation of food, control of sprouting of items such as potato and onion and control of food-borne diseases. It destroys or inactivates organisms that cause spoilage thereby extending shelf life of certain foods. But foods must be kept in airtight bags to prevent re-infestation.

The process is energy efficient. It does not leave any residue. The products remain closer to the fresh state in flavour, colour and texture. The chemical change in food due to radiation processing is so small that it is difficult to design a test to identify whether a food has been irradiated. During the process, no liquid is added; it does not cause loss of natural juices. Large or small amounts of foods can be irradiated in appropriate containers.

Radiation processing of food is essentially a cold process. Because of this, nutrient losses are significantly less than those associated with canning, drying and heat pasteurisation. Macronutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats undergo no change during radiation processing.

Under the radiation processing, food is treated by ionising radiation. The process greatly reduces, but does not eliminate, bacteria. The American Dietetic Association, The American Council on Science and Health, American Medical Association, the American Council on Science and Health, the American Medical Association, the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology, IAEA, the Institute of Food Technologists, the Scientific Committee of the European Union, the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation and the World Health Organisation have endorsed the process. Approval for the process came after 40 years of scientific research and testing. Food scientists have not studied any other food technology more extensively.

According to IAEA currently health and safety authorities in over 40 countries have approved radiation processing of over 60 different food items ranging from spices to grains to de-boned chicken meat, to beef, to fruits and vegetables. As of August 1999, over 30 countries irradiate food commercially. Nearly 60 radiation processing facilities are operated worldwide; more are getting ready in different countries. But the total amount of food products irradiated is estimated to be about half a million tonnes — a small fraction of the total amount of processed foods.

There is a mistaken notion that irradiated food is radioactive. Gamma rays from Cobalt 60, electron of 10 million electron volts and X-rays of 5 million electron volts are the only types of radiation approved for use in the process. These radiations will not make food radioactive. No radioactivity is produced or released during the process. It is also impossible for a “meltdown” to occur in a gamma irradiator facility.

The European Commission’s European Committee for Stand-ardisation has published six standards to identify irradiated food. Irradiated food containing fat can be identified by gas chromatic analysis of hydrocarbons. If irradiated food contains cellulose or bone or crystalline sugar, electron spin resonance spectroscopy is used. Spices may contain traces of silicate minerals.

Thermoluminescence of the silicate fraction is useful to identify irradiated spices. More sophisticated methods such as photostimulated luminiscence. DNA comet assay are also used in the case of some foods.

The irradiators are designed with several levels of protection. A system of carefully designed interlocks ensures that no person can enter the radiation area when the source is exposed. The staff employed at the facility are well trained and qualified. The operating procedures are followed and AERB inspects the facility periodically and reviews the safety reports from the radiological safety officer. The radiation doses to workers in the facilities are only small fractions of the limit prescribed by AERB.

The Atomic Energy (Control of Irradiation of Foods) Rules 1996 and the Prevention of Food Adulteration (Fifth Amendment) Rules 1994 and other rules and notifications issued from time to time are the rules applicable for commercial radiation processing of food in India. The Department of Atomic Energy and the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board enforce the former rules. DAE licenses the irradiator after AERB issues a certificate of approval. Before this, inspectors from AERB ensure that the installation satisfies all the prescribed safety requirements.

AERB is empowered to withdraw the certificate of approval if it is found necessary.

The DAE has licensed four radiation processing facilities so far. More facilities are being planned in the near future.

AERB has standardised the procedure to issue certificate approvals to any applicant in the shortest possible period. Wrong notions have come in the way of achieving progress in the commercial use of radiation processing.

The International Consultative Group on Food Irradiation had listed several studies to show that the consumer acceptance of the technology improved when they are informed about the facts about this unique technology.

On February 22, 2000, US FDA (Food and Drug Authority) issued final rule which permitted use of radiation to refrigerated or frozen uncooked meat and the meat products to reduce levels of food-borne pathogens, and to extend shelf life.