Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Electron Beam Technology and Other Irradiation Technology Applications in the Food Industry

  • Review
  • Published:
Topics in Current Chemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Food irradiation is over 100 years old, with the original patent for X-ray treatment of foods being issued in early 1905, 20 years after there discovery by W. C. Roentgen in 1885. Since then, food irradiation technology has become one of the most extensively studied food processing technologies in the history of mankind. Unfortunately, it is the one of the most misunderstood technologies with the result that there are rampant misunderstandings of the core technology, the ideal applications, and how to use it effectively to derive the maximum benefits. There are a number of books, book chapters, and review articles that provide overviews of this technology [25, 32, 36, 39]. Over the last decade or so, the technology has come into greater focus because many of the other pathogen intervention technologies have been unable to provide sustainable solutions on how to address pathogen contamination in foods. The uniqueness of food irradiation is that this technology is a non-thermal food processing technology, which unto itself is a clear high-value differentiator from other competing technologies.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Figure courtesy of Yang Bin, Tianjin, China

Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Aziz NH, Moussa LAA (2002) Influence of gamma-radiation on mycotoxin-producing moulds and mycotoxins in fruits. Food Control 13:281–288

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Brown D (2015) Integrating electron beam equipment into food processing facilities: strategies and design consideration. In: Pillai SD, Shayanfar S (eds) Electron beam pasteurization and complimentary food processing technologies Chapter 3. Woodhead publishing, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  3. Bullerman LB, Bianchini A (2007) Stability of mycotoxins during food processing. Int J Food Microbiol 119(1–2):140–146

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Calado T, Venancio A, Abrunhosa L (2014) Irradiation for mold and mycotoxin control: a review. Comp Rev Food Sci Safety 13:1049–1061

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Chmielewski AG, Kang CM, Kang CS, Vujic JL (2006) Radiation technology. Introduction to industrial and environmental applications. Seoul National University Press, Seoul, p 274

    Google Scholar 

  6. Clemmons HE, Clemmons EJ, Brown EJ (2015) Electron beam proessing of fresh and/or frozen raw ground beef. In: Pillai SD, Shayanfar S (eds) Electron beam pasteurization and complimentary food processing technologies Chapter 14. Woodhead publishing, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  7. de Camargo AC, Vieira TMFD, Regitano-d’Arce MAB, de Alencar SM, Calori-Domingues MA, Spoto MHF, Canniatti-Brazaca SG (2012) Gamma irradiation of in-shell and blanched peanuts protects against mycotoxic fungi and retains their nutraceutical components during long-term storage. Int J Mol Sci 13:10935–10958

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Espinosa AC, Jesudhasan P, Arredondo R, Cepeda M, Mazari-Hiriart M, Mena KD, Pillai SD (2012) Quantifying the reduction in potential health risks by determining the sensitivity of poliovirus type 1 chat strain and rotavirus SA-11 to electron beam irradiation of iceberg lettuce and spinach. Appl Environ Microbiol 78:988–993

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. European Food Safety Authority (2011) Scientific opinion on the efficacy and microbiological safety of irradiation of food. EFSA J 9:2103–2201

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. European Food Safety Authority (2011) Scientific opinion on the chemical safety of irradiation of food. EFSA J 9:1930–1956

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Frank HK (1970) Radiation resistance of aflatoxins. Irradiat Aliments. 11:15–20

    Google Scholar 

  12. Ghoddusi HB, Glatz B (2004) Decontamination of Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) by electron beam irradiation. Acta Hortic ISHS 650:339–344

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Haas CN, Rose JB, Gerba CP (1999) Quantitative microbial risk assessment. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  14. Hieke C (2015). Investigating the inactivation, physiological characteristics and transcriptomic responses of bacteria exposed to ionizing radiation. Ph.D. Dissertation, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas

  15. Hirasa K, Takemasa M (1998) Spices and herbs: basic concepts. In: Hirasa K, Takemasa (eds) Spice science and technology. Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, pp 1–2

    Google Scholar 

  16. Ic E, Kottapalli B, Maxim J, Pillai SD (2007) Electron beam irradiation of dried fruits and nuts to reduce yeast and mold bioburden. J Food Prot 70:981–985

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Ito H, Chen H, Bunnak J (1994) Aflatoxin production by microorganisms of the Aspergillus flvous group in spices and the effect of irradiation. J Food Agric 65:141–142

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Jalili M, Jinap S, Noranizan A (2010) Effect of gamma radiation on reduction of mycotoxins in black pepper. Food Control 21(10):1388–1393

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Jalili M, Jinap S, Noranizan MA (2012) Aflatoxins and ochratoxin a reduction in black and white pepper by gamma radiation. Rad Phys Chem 81:1786–1788

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Jeffers L (2016) Hands-on electron beam technology workshop. Texas A&M University, College Station

    Google Scholar 

  21. Jouany JP (2007) Methods for preventing, decontaminating and minimizing the toxicity of mycotoxins in feeds. Anim Feed Sci Technol 137:342–362

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Kume T, Ito H, Soedarman H, Ishigaki I (1989) Radiosensitivity of toxigenic Aspergillus isolated from spices and destruction of aflatoxins by gamma-irradiation. Radiat Phys Chem 34:973–978

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Lutz W, Sanderson W, Scherbov S (2001) The end of world population growth. Nature 412:543–545

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Kume T, Furuta M, Todoriki S, Uenoyama N, Kobayashi Y (2008) Status of food irradiation in the world. Rad Phy Chem 78:222–226

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Miller RB (2005) Electronic irradiation of foods: an introduction to the technology. Springer, New York, p 350

    Google Scholar 

  26. Mutluer B, Erkoc FU (1987) Effects of gamma irradiation on aflatoxins. Z Lebensm Unters Forsch 185:398–401

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. National Academy of Science (2008) Radiation source use and replacement. National Academy Press, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  28. Nayga RM, Woodward RM, Aiew W (2006) Willingness to pay for reduced risk of foodborne illness: a nonhypothetical field experiement. Can J of Agric Econ 54:461–475

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Patel UD, Govindarajan P, Dave PJ (1989) Inactivation of aflatoxin B1 by using the synergistic effect of hydrogen peroxide and gamma radiation. Appl Environ Microbiol 55:465–467

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Paterson R, Lima N (2010) How will climate change affect mycotoxins in food? Food Res Int 43:1902–1914. doi:10.1016/j.foodres.2009.07.010

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Pillai SD (2016) Introduction to electron-beam food irradiation. CEP Magazine. AIChE. November

  32. Pillai SD (2004) Food Irradiation. In: Bier RC, Pillai SD, Phillips TD, Ziprin RL (eds) Pre-harvest and post-harvest food safety: contemporary issues and future directions. Institute of Food Technologists/Iowa State Press, Ames, pp 375–387

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  33. Praveen C, Dancho BA, Kingsley DH, Calci KR, Meade GK, Mena KD, Pillai SD (2013) Susceptibility of murine norovirus and hepatitis a virus to electron beam irradiation in oysters and quantifying the reduction in potential infection risks. Appl Environ Microbiol 79:3796–3801

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Sadecka J (2007) Irradiation of spices—a review. Czech J Food Sci 25(5):231–242

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Sharma A, Ghanekar AS, Padwal-Desai SR (1984) Microbiological status and antifungal properties of irradiated spices. J Agric food Chem 32(5):1061–1063

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Shayanfar S, Pillai SD (2015) Future trends in electron beam technology for food processing. In: Pillai SD, Shayanfar S (eds) Electron beam pasteurization and complimentary food processing technologies Chapter 16. Woodhead publishing, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  37. Shayanfar S, Mena K, Pillai SD (2016) Quantifying the reduction in potential infection risks from non-O157 Shiga toxin producing E. coli in strawberries by low dose electron beam processing. Food Control. doi:10.1016/j.foodcont.2016.04.057

    Google Scholar 

  38. Smith JS, Pillai SD (2004) Irradiation and food safety. Scientific status summary. IFT, Chicago

    Google Scholar 

  39. Sommers CH, X Fan (2006) Food irradiation research and technology. (Eds). IFT Press/Blackwell Publishing, p 317

  40. Suhaj M, Racova J, Polovka M, Brezova V (2006) Effect of γ-irradiation on antioxidant activity of black pepper (Piper nigrum L.). Food Chem 97:696–704

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Van Dyck PJ, Tobback P, Feyes M, van de Voorde H (1982) Sensitivity of aflatoxin B1 to ionizing radiation. Appl Environ Microbiol 43:1317–1319

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Hatch grant H8708 administered by the Texas A&M AgriLife Research of the Texas A&M University System. This work was also completed as part of the activities of the IAEA Collaborating Centre for Electron Beam Technology.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Center for Electron Beam Research, An IAEA Collaborating Centre for Electron Beam Technology, Graduate Program in Food Science & Technology, Texas A&M University, College Station, USA

    Suresh D. Pillai & Shima Shayanfar

Authors
  1. Suresh D. Pillai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Shima Shayanfar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Suresh D. Pillai.

Additional information

Submitted as a book chapter in Applications of Radiation Chemistry in the Fields of Industry, Biotechnology and Environment. By Springer Verlag.

This article is part of the Topical Collection “Applications of Radiation Chemistry”; edited by Margherita Venturi, Mila D’Angelantonio.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Pillai, S.D., Shayanfar, S. Electron Beam Technology and Other Irradiation Technology Applications in the Food Industry. Top Curr Chem (Z) 375, 6 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41061-016-0093-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41061-016-0093-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation