Department of Energy food irradiation demonstration projects

The Department of Energy (DOE) food irradiation demonstration projects are part of the Civilian Byproducts Utilization Program. The goal of the Program is to develop and transfer technology for beneficial use of nuclear materials, emphasizing irradiation of agricultural commodities. The major objective is to establish six projects in designated states for the purpose of research, development, and demonstration of irradiation processing of commodities specific to the six regions. To initiate the projects, DOE is entering into a cooperative agreement with a sponsoring organization in each state. These organizations will manage and implement their respective projects while DOE provides technical and financial assistance. The organizations will also seek additional funding for their projects from other regional entities. DOE plans to phase out its participation in each project after approximately 3 years of operation. A Transportable Irradiator has been developed that can be made available for research and demonstrations at or close to food production or processing sites. Supply alternatives for irradiation sources are being evaluated in case demand for processing of foods increases significantly. A description of the overall program is provided including a perspective on events that led the Congress to establish the program in 1985. This is followed by information on the status of the various demonstration projects