Irradiation By-Products

Food Irradiation is a method used to destroy microorganisms, fungi and insects. Benefits include reduced spoilage and toxins that are harmful to our health. Although irradiated foods have minimal health risk, the process may change its chemical makeup. The chemical decomposition brought about by radiation is known as "radiolytic" change. Some types of irradiation treatments have been shown to produce free radicals as byproducts in fat-containing foods such as meats and nuts. Common degradation compounds from this process are alkanes, alkenes, aldehydes, alkylcyclobutones and ortho- and meta-tyrosine.

Treatment of foodstuffs with ionized radiation cannot be sold in Europe, and must be declared in many other countries. Detection of radiation by-products is used as an indicator of food irradiation. Fluka offers select indicators, which can be used as reference standards in GC Analysis (see Products below). Different test methods are employed for detection of free radicals in foodstuffs. The most common methods are Photo-stimulated luminescence (PSL), Electron Spin resonance (ESR) and thermoluminescence (TL).