Does irradiation adversely affect the nutritional value of food ?
Research has shown that the basic nutrients such as protein, carbohydrates and fat remain stable even under doses of radiation much larger than would be used in food irradiation. Different types of micronutrients such as vitamins have varied sensitivity to irradiation, as they do to other conventional food processing methods such as heat processing or cold storage. For example, vitamins C and B-1 (thiamin) are sensitive to irradiation as well as heat processing and cold storage. Apples kept in cold storage for a year can lose up to half their vitamin C. Yet it has never been suggested that cold storage is an inappropriate technology for apples. The World Health Organization and the International Atomic Energy Agency have concluded that irradiation does not induce special nutritional problems in food above and beyond those created by other accepted processing methods. Q: Can irradiation be used to disguise spoiled food? A: No. Neither irradiation nor any other food treatment can reverse
No. In comparison to other food processing and preservation methods the nutritional value is least affected by irradiation. Extensive scientific studies have shown that irradiation has very little effect on the main nutrients such as proteins, carbohydrates, fats and minerals. Vitamins show varied sensitivity to food processing methods including irradiation. For example, vitamin C and B1 (thiamine) are equally sensitive to irradiation as well as to heat processing. Vitamin A,E,C,K and B1 in foods are relatively sensitive to radiation, while riboflavin, niacin, and vitamin D are much more stable. The change induced by irradiation on nutrients depends on a number of factors such as the dose of radiation, type of food, and packaging conditions. Very little change in vitamin content is observed in food exposed to doses up to 1 kGy. The Joint Expert Committee of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Health Organization (WHO), and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in 19
