Effects of Combination Processes on the Nutritive Value of Food

Treatment with ionizing radiation can reduce the nutritive value of foodstuffs, particularly the levels of certain vitamins. Combination treatments can either aggravate or ameliorate these effects. Considerable losses can occur when irradiation is combined with heating. On the other hand, if irradiation is carried out at low temperature, or with oxygen-free packing, or in the presence of added antioxidants, radiation-induced changes can be minimized. A review of the literature and of the author's work in this field is presented, and some areas of uncertainty which demand further research are mentioned. (author)