Radiation Processing

Radiation Processing

• Non Thermal /Low Temperature processing- using radiations

• Radiations- ionizing and non-ionizing

• Ionizing- when it has a sufficiently high frequency, (gamma rays and x-rays)-
results in the production of charged particles or ions in the material that it
comes in contact with.

• Non-ionizing radiations- such as microwaves or infrared light- does not

produce ions but can create heat under moist conditions.

• Food Irradiation is mainly focused on ionizing radiations - physical treatment

that consist of exposing the foods to ionizing radiations to prolong shelf life
 Ionizing Radiation

• Radiations when made to bombard against

materials, they can knock off an electron from
the atom or molecule causing Ionization –
Hence called ionizing radiations

• They possess sufficient energy to knock of

electrons from atoms and molecules
 Ionizing Radiations

• Electromagnetic rays( X rays and Gamma rays )

• Electron Beam
Electromagnetic Spectrum
Electromagnetic Spectrum
 Electron Beam

• Stream of electrons – usually of low energy –

need to be accelerated to acquire required
energy
• All forms of ionizing radiation interact with matter by transferring
energy to the electrons present in the nuclei of target materials.

• These electrons may then be either released from the atoms,

yielding positively charged ions and free electrons, or moved to a
higher-energy atomic orbital, yielding and excited atom or
molecule.

• These ions, electrons, and excited species are the precursors of

many chemical changes observed in irradiated material.

• Ionizing radiation has the ability to break the chains of DNA in living
organisms,
 Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiations

• Irradiation causes damage to genetic material

• Causes lesion of the DNA or breaking both the
strands of DNA
• Prevents multiplication
• Randomly inhibits cell function
• Inactivation
 Inactivation
• The sensitivity of microbes to radiation
depends on
• Size of DNA
• The ability to repair the DNA damages
• Parasites and insect pests have large DNA and
hence easy to inactivate
• Bacteria has smaller DNA and hence more
difficult to inactivate
 Effect on other constituents of Food

• Macro molecules like protein, fat, carbohydrates – not

affected
• Minerals not affected
• Vitamins could be inactivated ( B1)
• May lead to production of Radiolyticals – may affect taste
 Irradiation Dose
• Like Time and Temperature of heat treatment
• The ionizing radiations have to impart
sufficient energy to cause necessary damages
to DNA
• The international unit of measurement of unit
Dose is 1 Gray ( Gy)
• 1 Gray = 1 joule of energy absorbed/Kg of the
irradiated product.
 Irradiation Dose
• The amount of energy absorbed by the food is
dependent on mass, bulk density and
thickness of food.
• The desired dose is achieved by the time of
exposure and by the location of the product
relative to the source.
• For each kind of food, a specific dose has to be
delivered to achieve the desired result.
 Major Applications of Irradiation in Food processing
• Dis infestation of insect pests in stored grains
• Inhibition of sprouting of tubers and bulb
• Delay in fruit ripening process
• Inactivation of spoilage microorganism
• Elimination of pathogens
• Sterilization of aseptic bags for bulk aseptic
packing
• In non food applications – sterilization of
disposable syringes/gloves
Advantages of Radiation processing
• In package processing
• High degree of homogenous penetration
(especially gamma radiation)
• Very short duration – No rise in temperature
• No appreciable change in the nutritional
value.
• Products remain in the original state
• Ready to use
• No radiation residues
• Should prevent post contamination
 Dosage
• Low Dose Applications (up to 1 kGy)
Sprout inhibition in bulbs and tubers 0.03-0.15 kGy
Delay in fruit ripening 0.25-0.75 kGy ( climacteric fruits only –
example)
Insect disinfestation including quarantine treatment and
elimination of food borne parasites 0.07-1.00 kGy

• Medium Dose Applications (1 kGy to 10 kGy)

Reduction of spoilage microbes to prolong shelf-life of meat,
poultry and seafoods under refrigeration 1.50–3.00 kGy
Reduction of pathogenic microbes in fresh and frozen meat,
poultry and seafoods 3.00–7.00 kGy
Reducing the number of microorganisms in spices to improve
hygienic quality 10.00 kGy
RADPASTEURIZATION
 Dosage
• High Dose Applications (above 10 kGy)
• Sterilization of packaged meat, poultry, and
their products that are shelf stable without
refrigeration 25.00-70.00 kGy
• Sterilization of Hospital diets 25.00-70.00 kGy
• RADSTERIZATION
 Dosage for different applications

Dose Applications
< 1 kGy Inhibition of germination
Disinfestation
Ripening delay ( only in climacteric fruits – example?)
1 – 10 kGy Shelf life extension
Elimination of pathogens
10 – 50 kGy Sterilization
 DisInfestation
• Bulk grain storage of Rice, wheat, pulses
• No application of chemicals ( Phosphene and
methyl bromide) and hence no residues
• Can be treated after packaging and before
storage
• To prevent recontamination
 Sprout Inhibition

• Potato, Onion and Galrlic ( < 1 Kgy)

• Cannot be used as a seed for the next crop

Delay in ripening of climacteric fruits
Delay in ripening of climacteric fruits
 Delay in ripening of climacteric fruits

• Higher dosage may inactivate the

enzyme/damage tissues system and the fruits
may not ripen at all.
 Pathogen Inactivation
Organism Food Conditions D10 value in kGy
L. monocytogenes Chicken 12 C 0.49
Ground beef 12 C 0.5 to 0.9
S.Aureus Poultry 10 C 0.42
Meat 10 C 0.86
Campylobacter Ground Turkey 0 – 5 deg C 0.19
jejuni
E Coli Ground beef -17 deg C 0.307
2 – 5 deg C 0.241
Salmonella typhi Beef 20 deg C 0.55
 Irradiation of Foods
• Mainly used for microbial decontamination
• Elimination of pathogens
• Not for sterilization as it involves high doses
and hence contamination with radiaoactive
compounds and deleterious radiolyticals.
 Packaging Material
• In package processing

• Irradiation dose should not affect the

packaging material in terms of barrier
properties or/and should not release
decomposed packing material compounds
into foods ( BPA – Bis Phenol A)
 Packaging materials suitable for irradiation purpose.
• Gamma irradiation up 10 kGy only.
• Wax-coated paperboard, kraft paper
• Nylon 11
• Multi-layer PET, PVDC-VC copolymer,
• PS, and
• Polyolefin films. ( PE, HDPE)
• Gamma or X-ray irradiation up to 60 kGy only.
• PE,
• Nylon 6,
• PET, and
• PVC-VA copolymer films.
• Ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers (EVA) – for use with any
of the three irradiation sources approved for cold
pasteurization up to a dose of 30 kGy.
 Indian Scene
• Indian Food laws very strictly govern the
irradiation processing .
• It specifies the products which can be
irradiated and the dosage level

• The irradiation facilities are highly controlled

and requires permission from the
Government. It is constantly monitored and
has to comply with many conditions.
 Products and Dosage Permitted by GoI
Food Min Dose Kgy Max Dose Kgy Average Dose
Onions 0.03 0.09 0.06
Spices 6 14 10
Potatoes 0.06 0.15 0.1
Rice, pulses 0.25 1.0 0.62
Wheat, rawa etc 0.25 1.0 0.62
Mango 0.25 0.75 0.5
Raisins, figs and 0.25 0.75 0.5
dates
Ginger/Garlic 0.03 0.15 0.08
Meat and Meat 2.5 4.0 3.25
products incl
chicken
Fresh sea foods 1.0 3.0 2.0
Frozen sea foods 4 6 5
Dried sea foods 0.25 1.0 0.62
Symbol on Irradiated food
 Permitted Ionizing Radiations
• Gamma Rays
• X – rays – generated from machine sources
operated at or below an energy level of 5
million electron volts (Mev)
• Electron Beam – electrons generated from
machine sources operated at or below an
energy level of 10 million electron volts ( Mev)
• The maximum energy levels are stipulated as
higher levels may induce radioactive
compounds in the food.
 Gamma Radiations
• Cobalt 60 – Radio active isotope
• A synthetic radio isotope of Cobalt and not
naturally present
• Emits gamma rays
• A defined amount of radioactivity of Co 60,
known as Unit Source.
• The unit source is placed in a doubly
encapsulated SS tube
 Gamma Radiations
• The unit sources are placed in racks which is
immersed in 6 – 7 m deep concrete water pool
lined with stainless steel.
• The desired number of unit sources may be
lifted from the pool for irradiation depending
on the dose required.
• The desired dose is achieved by raising the
required source and exposing the product for
the desired time.
• The source can be used up to 15 years.
• Most commonly used in India
 X Rays
• When the electron beam generated by an
accelerator is directed at a target consisting of
a high-atomic-number metal, such as tungsten
or gold, X-rays with a broad spectrum of
energies are produced.
• Energy not more than 5 Million electron Volts
• Can be switched on/off
 Electron Beam
• The electron beam is a stream of high energy
electrons, propelled out of an electron gun.
• This electron gun apparatus is a larger version of
a standard television tube.
• The electron beam can be accelerated to achieve
required maximum energy level of 10 Mev
• Beyond this level, it may leave radioactive
compounds in the food
• The electron beam penetration is about 5 mm
per Mev
 Electron Beam
• A 10 Mev cannot penetrate more that 50 mm
or 5cm
• The product may have to be exposed from
both sides if it is more than 50 mm in width.
• The electron beam generator can be simply
switched on or off.
• There are no radioactive materials in the
process. ( advantage over gamma radiation)
• E-beam medical sterilizers have been in use.
 Measurement of Radiation Dose
• Radiation dose to be measured.
• Radiation dosimeter measures exposure to
ionizing radiation
• involves exposing dosimeter jointly with the
treated food item.
• Dosimeters are small components attached to
the irradiated product made of materials that,
when exposed to ionizing radiation, change
specific, measurable physical attributes to a
degree that can be correlated to the dose
received
 Measurement of Radiation Dose
• Modern dosimeters are made of a range of materials,
such as

• alanine pellets, ( 2 – 200 Kgy – read by Electron spin

resonance)
• Oxidation of Fe++ to Fe+++ ( 20 – 200 kgy)
• Reduction of Chromium (IV) to Chromium (III) – 2 to 50
Kgy
• Radiochromic dye films – color change – 1-100 kgy

• These dosimeters are used in combination with

specialized read out devices to get the level of
exposure
 Essential Features of an Food irradiating unit
• Radiation source and all the related system
• Radiation shielding chamber ( for gamma
irradiation)
• Product conveying system
• Plant safety and operation controls
• Utilities like D M water, power back up
• Should comply with all the conditions of the
Atomic Energy department of the Government
 Safety Aspects
• The irradiation facilities are highly regulated by
the Government
• Only certain foods are permitted to be processed
by irradiation and the maximum dosage levels are
fixed ( after completely ensuring the safety)
• All irradiated foods have to carry an emblem
• Health & Safety authorities of 40 countries have
approved irradiation for 60 foods like spices,
grains, meat, fish, poultry and fruits & vegetables
 Disadvantages
• Expensive establishment
• Inherent dangers using radioactive isotopes.
• Not all products can be processed by
irradiation
• Only a few plants are available and hence and
not very convenient.
 Indian Scene
• Presently there are 9 plants. None in Tamil
Nadu
• 27 more has been planned
• Commonly processed foods are
Tubers for sprout inhibition
Spices and condiments
Medical disposable items
Aseptic bags