Does irradiation cause chemical changes in food, producing substances not known to be present in non-irradiated food?
Yes, irradiation does produce chemical changes in foods. These substances, called “radio-lytic products”, may sound mysterious, but they are not. They have been scrutinized by scientists in making safety assessments of irradiated foods. Any kind of treatment causes chemical changes in food. For instance, heat treatment, or cooking, produces chemicals that could be called “thermolytic products.” Scientists find the changes in food created by irradiation minor to those created by cooking. The products created by cooking are so significant that consumers can smell and taste them, whereas only a chemist with extremely sensitive lab equipment may be able to detect radiolytic products. 7. Will my risks of radiation exposure increase significantly if I live next to an irradiator? No. The use and transportation of radioactive materials, including the facilities in which they are used and the equipment in those facilities, is closely monitored by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, state agencie
