Pros And Cons Of Food Irradiation

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While food irradiation is widely approved for human use there are still skeptics that point to the issues when deciding whether or not to use alternatives. Food irradiation is approved by the WHO, FDA, and CDC (Fda.gov) and is used worldwide. However, there are many critics that point to the flaws in the process. The deciding factor for food irradiation is whether or not you see the downsides as outweighing the benefits or vice versa. The main use for food irradiation is to sterilize and extend the shelf life of food. Even though radiation is utilized the food does not become radioactive afterwards unless some of the radioactive material leaks out and reaches the food, which is almost impossible. The issues that surround food irradiation mainly focus on radiation itself and not food irradiation specifically. Food irradiation carries its own risks and rewards and has benefits to it that alternatives do not. …show more content…

It works by breaking chemical bonds with high energy beams to form free ions and free radicals (neinuclearnotes.blogspot.com). Most food irradiation machines use a conveyor belt system that carries the food through the radioactive chamber and back out to the unloading docks. The system is mainly one step, the food just has to stay on the belt and go through the irradiation chamber. The irradiation chamber is powered by a radiation source rack and a storage pool of radioactive material underneath the building. The produce enters the building from a loading dock, enters the irradiated room, and is then loaded back onto trucks to be delivered. There is also another method that uses electrons to sterilize food however, this method is not as popular as the traditional conveyor belt model. When compared to alternatives, food irradiation is safer and a more dependable method of food