Food Irradiation

Basics

• Food irradiation is the process of exposing food and food packaging to Ionizing Radiation to extend the Shelf Life of irradiated foods by effectively destroying organisms responsible for spoilage and foodborne illness and inhibiting sprouting.
• The more "old school" approach was a chunk of cobalt
• Electon Beams or X-Ray Tubes can be "turned off" and supposedly can be used as well
  • The latter of which is quite easy to make or source
• With Controlled Atmosphere Storage (Full inert can be used as all anerobics will be killed), Sealed Packages in a Dark Space/Package, and Refrigeration, along with this tech, VERY long shelf lifes can be acheived with no "Preservatives" (not that all are evil)
• It also makes Food Born Illnesses Near impossible
  • Imagine a world with no samonella, ecoli, etc outbreaks
  • And parasites in developing countries
  • ...
  • Extremophiles, Prions and Viruses may still exist though (need more info on this)

From the wikipedia article

Public perception

Negative connotations associated with the word "radiation" are thought to be responsible for low consumer acceptance. A major concern of the public is concern is whether irradiation might cause harmful changes to the food. It is widely believed that consumer perception of foods treated with irradiation is more negative than those processed by other means.[4] Though, some industry studies indicate the number of consumers concerned about the safety of irradiated food decreased between 1985 and 1995 to levels comparable to those of people concerned about food additives and preservatives.[66] Even though it is untrue, "People think the product is radioactive," said Harlan Clemmons, president of Sadex, a food irradiation company based in Sioux City, Iowa.[67] Because of these concerns and the increased cost of irradiated foods, there is not a widespread public demand for the irradiation of foods for human consumption.[30]

Several national expert groups and two international expert groups evaluated the available data and concluded that any food at any dose is wholesome and safe to consume.[68]Several national expert groups and two international expert groups evaluated the available data and concluded that any food at any dose is wholesome and safe to consume as long as it remains palatable and maintains its technical properties (e.g. feel, texture, or color).[6][7] Irradiated food does not become radioactive.

Response

• The hospitalizations/deaths/wasted food from not doing so vs the potential problems that have been debunked, and fear

Methods

Gamma Ray

• One of the more conventional routes
• The use of an "always on" gamma source such as Cobalt comes with Logistical + Safety Concerns, as well as Regulatory Compliance Issues
• The penetrating power of Gamma Rays though is useful in terms of ensuring penetration through the packaging and food

E-Beam

• Electron Beam Facilities are making up more of the modern fleet / some Medical Sterilization (Outside of Ethylene Oxide etc) uses as well
• A bit more complex than X-Ray, but more established?
  • Granted CITATION NEEDED

X-Ray

• In theory more accessible (X-Ray Tubes are available COTS; they are Vacuum Tube era technology)
• Less Research on This though, and little to no commercial market share (Perhaps for good reason?)

Form Factors

"X-Ray Oven"

• A Form Factor such that leftovers could be put in an airtight container, either put at a vacuum and/or purged with an Inert Gas such as Nitrogen then sterilized in the "X-Ray Oven" thus enabling near infinite shelf life (Especially if in an opaque, non-reactive container, and refrigerated)
• Along with Freeze Dryers would enable LONG TERM food storage, on a highly decentralized manner
• Main challenges may be ensuring sufficient dose of the food, while having proper shielding+operator safety, also operator cost/maintenance

Industrial Units

• Integration with a Canning Line or other Industrial Food Processing could be neat
• Freeze Drying , High Pressure Processing or Individual Quick Freezing etc may make more sense for some products in this case however

External Links

• The Wikipedia Page on Food Irradiation
• [https://ccr.ucdavis.edu/food-irradiation/how-does-food-irradiation-work#.X10SbSLhaE4.link A UCDavis Article "How does Food Irradiation work?"