Did You Know?

Quite a few vegetables and fruits imported into United States are irradiated before finally making them available to the general public.

Safety Aspect of Irradiated Foods

There is no scientific evidence that foods after irradiation are harmful to human beings. Therefore, it would be absolutely wrong to conclude that just because the food is treated with irradiation, it turns radioactive. The amount of energy that is allowed to infiltrate is too weak to cause energy imbalance within the nucleus of food atoms. In simple words, irradiation cannot make food atoms unstable and turn them radioactive. The dose of radiation is too low to induce any kind of radioactivity. Also, during irradiation, the radiation source is not near the food item under consideration. The energy waves target the pathogens and then merely pass through the food without leaving any traces of radiation residue. So, irradiated foods never become a source of secondary radiation. Microwaves and toasters also emit small amounts of radiation, but nothing is retained in cooked food. When you undergo a chest X-ray, you are exposed to a certain amount of radiation, but your body does not retain these energy waves and become radioactive. Results analyzed from several studies reveal that exposing food to ionizing radiation does not have any significant impact on its nutritional value. As food is exposed to low levels of energy, any change in their nutritional profile is marginal. A small amount of vitamin B loss, especially thiamine, is observed after irradiation. However, any loss in nutritional content by irradiation is more or less the same as observed in pasteurization and cooking. Irradiation also has marginal impact on the percentage of proteins, carbohydrates, and minerals present in food. So, one can say that the nutritional value remains largely unchanged in irradiated foods. Chemical changes have been observed in foods treated with irradiation. Exposure to ionizing radiation does trigger molecular decomposition, resulting in production of radiolytic products. However, quite a few studies have analyzed these radiolytic products and found them safe. Also, the process of irradiation can lead to generation of free radicals, which resemble those produced during pasteurization, canning, and even cooking. So, production of free radicals and any changes in chemical composition of food during irradiation is not a cause for concern. Irradiated foods are also able to retain their original taste, flavor, and texture. No wonder, an irradiated apple or pear has the same taste and is still crunchy to eat. The USFDA has given a thumbs-up to the process of food irradiation, way back in 1963. To put it simply, the FDA deems this method as a safe way to control food contamination. It has given permission to use irradiation on a wide range of foods including vegetables, fruits, poultry, red meat, spices, herbs, and even wheat flour for pest control. Most fruits imported to United States are irradiated. Also, food irradiation in United States is strictly monitored by the FDA. Moreover, the American Medical Association and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) also support the use of food irradiation. This certainly assures no harm from eating irradiated foods. Absolutely not! Food irradiation does help to kill harmful pathogens and insects, but that does not mean one should ignore proper hygiene when cooking and handling food. One can still get foodborne illnesses by eating irradiated foods, if basic sanitary practices are thrown to the wind. In other words, irradiated food can become hazardous if poor sanitation practices are prevalent in your kitchen. Irradiation is not analogous to sterilization of food as not all pathogens are destroyed. So, safe food preparation and handling is also extremely important to prevent food poisoning. Also, irradiation is no substitute for conventional preservation methods such as refrigeration. However, you can keep irradiated foods in refrigerator for a longer duration than non-irradiated foods. For instance, irradiated strawberries, when refrigerated, remain fit for consumption for around 2-3 weeks, but non-irradiated strawberries spoil after a few days of refrigeration. Buying irradiated foods also does not mean that cooking is unnecessary. You need to cook food properly before eating it. Remember, irradiation does not provide any protection from re-contamination, which can always occur from poor handling procedures. Irradiated vegetables, fruits, and meat are priced higher than conventional foods. The additional cost is due to the additional processing associated with irradiation. However, that shouldn't deter you from buying irradiated food as they have a longer shelf life and chances of spoilage from bacteria is minimum. By simply looking at the food item, it is impossible to know whether it has undergone irradiation treatment, unless you check its label. It is compulsory that the labeling bears wordings like 'treated by irradiation', indicating that the food item has been irradiated. The label should also have a 'radura' symbol, which is internationally recognized as the symbol for irradiation.

Although the FDA has given permission for irradiation of eggs, the decision has not gone down well with some nonprofit healthcare organizations. It is observed that irradiated eggs tend to have a runny light-colored yolk, which is otherwise thick, firm, and bright. Moreover, it is not easy to whip up and cook irradiated eggs. Also, the vitamin A content of eggs drops by 24% after being exposed to irradiation. However, the FDA has justified its decision by pointing out the rising cases of foodborne illnesses in United States resulting from Salmonella contamination in eggs. Other public interest organizations have also expressed health concerns over the use of this expensive technology and claim higher nutritional loss from irradiation. Some members from the medical fraternity have expressed fear over irradiation inducing mutations in bacteria and viruses, in turn making them immune to the effects of ionizing radiation. Also, some scientific journals have published studies that show the negative effects of feeding irradiated foods on animals. However, there is no scientific evidence that suggests food after irradiation is harmful to human beings.