The effects of low-dose γ-irradiation on the wholesomeness of mangoes (Mangifera indica) as determined by short-term feeding studies using rats

A control diet and diets containing 150 g non-irradiated or 150 g irradiated mango-pulp/kg were given to female rats from day 15 of the gestation period until weaning in two trials and from 40 d before mating until 28 d post weaning in a third trial. Food intake and dry-matter digestibility were similar with all diets. There were no significant differences between animals given the different dietary regiments in the daily body-weight changes of weanling males, pups, nursing females or females during the immediate postlactation period. No difference in haematological or blood chemistry values were found which could be attributed to the ingestion of irradiated mangoes. There was no evidence for the presence of any toxic substances in the irradiated-mango-pulp diet. Gross pathological observations revealed no aberrations which could be related to the ingestion of irradiated mangoes. It may be concluded that the wholesomeness of mangoes was not affected by γ-irradiation at a dose of 75 krad. (author)