32.4 Food Irradiation

32.4 Food Irradiation

• Chemo uses drugs that interfere with cell division and is effective against cancer.
• It has the same side effects, such as nausea and hair loss, as well as the risk of another cancer.

• Medical supplies, such as bandages and consumer products, can be ionized.

• It is also used to irradiate food, an application that promises to grow in the future.
• It is used to prevent illness caused by organisms.
• Food irradiation is controversial.
• Proponents think it's better than pasteurization and other dangerous chemicals.
• Opponents think that its safety is questionable and that it may leave worse toxic residues as well as presenting an environmental hazard at treatment sites.
• In developing countries, food irradiation can increase crop production by 25.0% or more.
• In some countries, it is used to treat red meat, poultry, and vegetables.
• Food irradiation has been approved by over 40 countries.

• Food is exposed to large amounts of rays, x-rays, or electrons.
• No nuclear reactions can be created by these electrons and photons.

• The rays with the highest average of 1.25 MeV are the ones with the lowest penetrating.
• The photon energies of the X-rays used for food irradiation can be up to 5 MeV.
• Food irradiation can be done with 10 MeV electron beams.
• The higher the energy per particle, the more penetrating the radiation is.

• A food irradiation plant has a conveyor system to move items through a radiation field.

• When not in use, the source is lowered into a deep pool of water.
• Food can be exposed to doses up to an hour.