Advantages And Disadvantages Of Food Irradiation

Food irradiation (the application of ionizing radiation to food) is a technology that improves the safety and extends the shelf life of foods by reducing or eliminating microorganisms and insects (“U.S. Food and Drug Administration” 1). If food is not irradiated correctly, there may potentially be health hazards.

A 5-20 dose of rem causes possible damage to chromosomes possibly causing your children to have deformities. At 20-100 rems you will have a reduction of white bloods cells for an amount of time dependent on the rems. At 100-200 rems you will most likely get mild Radiation sickness in about 2 hours of exposure. Also in radiation sickness you will vomit, have diarrhea, fatigue, and will be much more susceptible to infection and other stuff. Around 200-300 rems you will get serious radiation sickness and hemorrhage. At about 400-1000 rads you will have acute illness and a quite early death. And finally from 1000-5000 you will also have acute illness and be dead in a matter of a couple of days or so depending on the

Both the Chemical radiation as well as pathogens like bacteria, viruses or fungi can cause inflammation

People say you can’t fight fire with fire, however, radiation can do just that. Although radiation is known to cause many types of cancer, it is also one of the most effective cures. Radiation as a treatment has been used for years, but in recent years, modern technology allows radiation to become more effective and precise. Radiation is a positive treatment for cancer because it kills cancer cells, it is non-invasive, and it prevents cancer from coming back.

The severity is so detrimental that radiation exposure is highly regulated by The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) which is the federal agency responsible for protecting the health and safety of

Is it safe? This is a natural question when discussing sending radiation through your food. Especially this day in age when everyone is so conscious of what goes through their body. I’m here to assure you though that it’s completely safe. According to Dr. Charlotte P. Brennand, a food safety specialist at Idaho State University, the irradiation process does not cause food to become radioactive and has little to no nutritional harm to the food. In reality, food that is irradiated is more nutritional than food that is not irradiated. The FDA stated that irradiation improves the safety and shelf life of treated foods by reducing or eliminating insects and microorganisms. When food is irradiated, you may lose a little natural nutritional content

A very common problem is when people are working in the field of radioactive milling, enrichment, reprocessing, waste storage, meltdown, etc. are known to suffer from the radiation from nuclear material. Sometimes patients are required to follow special preparation beforehand to achieve accurate results, for example certain medication may need to be stopped or a certain diet must be followed. A major drawback of radiation therapy is the collateral damage it causes to surrounding tissues in organs, although improvements, have made targeting more precise, it is impossible to administer ionising radiation to cancerous tissue without harming healthy

Diagnosis- Radiation in medicine helps medical tests allow doctors to see inside the body, so doctors can diagnose, and treat conditions for humans and animals. Some tests expose ionizing radiation which put patients at risk, could cause death.

Two outbreaks in late 2006 of food-borne illness involving E. coli O157:H7 on spinach and lettuce have intensified the sense of urgency about reducing the risks of pathogens in fresh produce. Members of the produce industries, government regulatory agencies and consumers all share the desire to take effective steps to eliminate or sharply reduce risks from E. coli and other produce-born disease-causing organisms. In the current climate, interest has grown in the possibility that food irradiation, a long-available technology already being used as an antibacterial treatment for some poultry and ground beef, could be applied to mitigate problems associated with human pathogens in fresh fruits and vegetables. Irradiation has also been used to kill

Radiation can also change cells and sometimes destroy them. Exposure to too much radiation can cause health conditions such as cancer.

Irradiation is a process that that makes food products last longer in store shelves, freezers, and kills harmful living organisms. “Irradiation does not make foods radioactive, compromise nutritional quality, or noticeably change the taste, texture, or appearance of food”(FDA, 6/28/16). Irradiation is meant to help make meat last longer and stay fresh and healthy for a long time. It does not make the meat radioactive. Irradiation is also meant to kill any type of bacteria, parasites, and illness. Irradiation is used on the following foods, “beef and pork, crustaceans, fruits and vegetables, poultry, seeds for planting, eggs, shellfish, and spices and seasonings.” (FDA, 6/28/16). This is why I think that Irradiation in meat is needed.

Based on the data, it is a relatively risk-free, safe technology. The topic of radiation brings unpleasant feelings to most people of this country, but radiation is actually used in tracers, can be used to diagnose diseases, and is a part of cancer treatment. (8) The United States should at least give this technology a chance to see if it helps. Food irradiation can kill most disease-causing germs which makes the food safer to eat. Of course, irradiated food still has to be cooked and treated the way normal food is since irradiation does not equate to sterilization but it is still a good thing to have. The disadvantages of food irradiation are very insignificant in comparison to the benefits. On top of that, food irradiation leaves very little to no waste, and does not have a big impact on the nutritional value of food. People often insist research and technology involving radiation are dangerous, but it is time this country moves forward and tries something new. Senator; overall, food irradiation and radiation in general can be beneficial if correctly used, and this country should take advantage of

They are the mechanism by which evolution operates. Radiation, as a mutagen, simply increases the level of mutation. It would therefore be logical to conclude that some of the genetic changes caused by radiation are not very harmful to the animals who experience them. This has been found to be true in several cases around Chernobyl and Fukushima.

There are many advantages and disadvantages to the use of radioactive elements in medicines. Some advantages include the fact that

Food preservatives are described as natural means or man-made chemicals that are used in foods to prevent them from spoiling. A subgroup of preservatives are food additives, which differ from preservatives in the way that additives are not only used to lengthen the life of food, but also to improve taste and appearance. The ultimate goal of preservatives and additives are to improve the quality and lifespan of food by slowing down the decomposition process using chemicals or natural methods, such as salt and dehydration.