Radionuclide and electric accelerator sources for food irradiation

Radiation processing of food requires radiation sources with high intensity, penetrability, reliability, and the flexibility to be adapted to current food processing techniques. Current proposed regulations limit the radiation sources which can be utilized to radionuclides (i.e. 5.27-y Co-60; or 30.2-y Cs-137) or electrically-driven accelerators (i.e. X rays up to 5 MeV, electron beams up to 10 MeV). Therefore, the power; throughput; and use efficiency of these sources are important factors affecting the design; installation; operation; and economics of large-scale food-processing facilities. An analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of these sources is presented here, with special attention to the current status of both technologies, and with emphasis on the needs of the food-processing industry