FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (F.A.Q.)

Although treatment of foodstuffs has been used for many years to reduce and remove bacteria and increase shelf life, there are still many misconceptions and misunderstandings about the process. Significant research about the different irradiative techniques has been done and documented over the years and one of the best resources for answers to consumer questions about irradiative treatment is the Center For Disease Control.

To link to their website, click the "Frequently Asked Questions" folder on the left sidebar. Below you will also find the 10 most frequently asked questions we get from our customers. As a business, SADEX strives to keep the customer and consumer "in the know;" if you can not find the answer to your question on this site, feel free to contact us at 712-252-3505 or 888-44 SADEX to have your questions answered personally.

10 Most Commonly Asked Questions About Irradiative Treatment

1. Why is food treated?
2. Are treated foods still nutritious?
3. Does treatment make food radioactive?
4. Does eating treated food present long-term health risks?
5. Does treatment destroy all bacteria, resulting in a sterile produce?
6. Does treatment cause chemical changes in food, producing substances not known to be present in untreated food?
7. Will my risks of exposure increase significantly if I live next to an electron beam facility?
8. For what other purposes is irradiation technology now used in the United States?
9. Are treated foods on the market now?
10. How can treated foods be identified in the market?

1. Why is food treated?

Food is treated with irradiation to provide the same benefits as when it is processed by heat, refrigeration, freezing or treated with chemicals to destroy insects, fungi or bacterial that cause food to spoil or cause human disease and to make it possible to keep food longer and in better condition in warehouses and homes. Because cold pasteurization destroys disease-causing bacteria and reduces the incidence of food borne illness, hospitals sometimes use irradiative treatment to sterilize food for immuno-compromised patients.

2. Are treated foods still nutritious?

Yes. Treated foods are wholesome and nutritious. All known methods of food processing and even storing food at room temperature for a few hours after harvesting can lower the content of some nutrients, such as vitamins. At low doses, nutrient losses are either not measurable or, if they can be measured, are not significant. At the higher doses used to extend shelf-life or control harmful bacteria, nutritional losses are less than or about the same as cooking and freezing.

3. Does treatment make food radioactive?

No. Radioactivity in foods can occur by two routes: contamination of foods with radioactive substances or by penetration of energy into the nuclei of the atoms that make up the food. The e-beam process involves passing food through an electron field; however, the food itself never contacts a radioactive substance, because there is no radioactive substance. Also, the ionizing radiation used in facilities is not strong enough to disintegrate the nucleus of even one atom of a food molecule.

4. Does eating treated food present long-term health risks?

No. Federal government and other scientists reviewed several hundred studies on the effects of cold pasteurization before reaching conclusions about the general safety of the treatment. In order to make recommendations specifically about poultry treatment, U.S. Food and Drug Administration scientists reviewed findings from additional relevant studies. Independent scientific committees in Denmark, Sweden, United Kingdom and Canada also have reaffirmed the safety of irradiative treatment. In addition, codl pasteurization has received official international endorsement from the World Health Organizations and the International Atomic Energy Agency.

5. Does treatment destroy all bacteria, resulting in a sterile produce?

Irradiative treatment, at the levels normally used in food processing, destroys most, but not necessarily every single microorganism present; it does not sterilize the food. As with any food, consumers must take appropriate precautions, such as refrigeration and proper handling and cooking, to make sure that potentially harmful organisms do not present a problem. The process is not beneficial if the consumer improperly handles the treated food. After treatment, the surviving disease-causing and food spoilage organisms may start to multiply again if the food is not properly handled. The disease-causing organisms in treated food are just as dangerous, but not more so, as the same organisms in untreated food.

6. Does treatment cause chemical changes in food, producing substances not known to be present in untreated food?

Yes, treatment does produce chemical changes in foods. These substances, called "radiolytic products", may sound mysterious, but they are not. They have been scrutinized by scientists in making safety assessments of treated 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 irradiative treatment 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 exposure increase significantly if I live next to an electron beam facility?

No. Electron beam technology is a no waste technology that is driven completely by basic electricity you can find in your household. When the switch is turned off, the radiation in the extremely secure cell is off. E-beam facilities have very intricate safety systems, that are protected at least three fold by other safety system checks.

8. For what other purposes is irradiation technology now used in the United States?

In addition to cancer treatment, irradiation is used for many purposes, including: performing security checks on hand luggage at airports, making tires more durable, sterilizing manure for gardens, making non-stick cookware coatings, purifying wool, sterilizing medical products like surgical gloves, and destroying bacteria in cosmetics.

9. Are treated foods on the market now?

Until recently, only processed dried spices and enzymes were marketed in the United States. In January 1992, treated Florida strawberries were sold at a North Miami supermarket. Sales of treated products are ongoing in several grocery stores. Poultry pasteurization began commercially in 1993. Red meats were approved in 1997 and began sales in 1998 on the open market in the United States. Irradiative treatment of food has been approved in 40 countries for more a variety of products.

10. How can treated foods be identified in the market?

Irradiatively treated food cannot be recognized by sight, smell, taste, or feel. Treated foods will be labeled with a logo called the Radura, along with the words "Treated with Radiation", "Treated by Irradiation", or "Treated with Irradiation for Food Safety."