Dosimetric characterization of 10 MeV electron accelerator developed by BARC for food irradiation

This article delves into the dosimetry of food irradiation from a 10 MeV radiofrequency (RF) electron linear accelerator (LINAC) developed by BTDG, BARC. The investigation aims to assess the uniformity of the electron beam, evaluate Percentage Depth-Dose (PDD) distribution and Beam Quality Index, and verify the reproducibility of the beam. The study also includes dose uniformity verification of chili powder irradiation. Radiochromic B3 films have been employed as routine dosimeters. Results demonstrate ~8% variation in absorbed dose along the scan and conveyor directions. Comparison reveals that the dosimetric characteristics of the EBC LINAC is in agreement with a 9 MeV medical LINAC. Recommendations for adjusting product thickness based on dose uniformity ratios (DUR) of 2.3 for single-sided exposure are made with 3.3 cm for homogeneous water equivalent materials and 8 cm for chili powder packets. Recommendations emphasizing the need for case-specific analyses for heterogeneous materials and different DUR values are also presented. (author)