Book description
The benefits of food irradiation to the public health have been
described extensively by organizations such as the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention in the USA and the World Health Organization.
The American Medical Association and the American Dietetic Association
have both endorsed the irradiation process. Yet the potential health
benefits of irradiation are unknown to many consumers and food
industry representatives who are wary of irradiated foods due to
myth-information from “consumer-advocate” groups.
This updated second edition of Food Irradiation Research and
Technology reviews the latest developments in irradiation
technologies as they are applied to meat, seafood fish, fruits,
vegetables and nuts. Experts from industry, government, and academia
define the basic principles and public health benefits of irradiation.
New chapters in this edition address irradiation chemistry, including
furan formation due to irradiation, irradiation of packaging
materials, processing irradiation technologies and parameters, and
ready-to-eat meat products. Coverage of safety and quality of fresh
fruits and vegetables, phytosanitary applications and consumer
acceptance has been expanded to address recent interest and development.
The book is designed to appeal to a broad readership: industry food
scientists involved in the processing of meat and fish, fruits and
vegetables; food microbiologists and radiation processing specialists;
and government and industry representatives involved in the import and
export of food commodities.
Christopher H. Sommers
, Ph. D., a research microbiologist and lead scientist, and
Xuetong Fan,
Ph. D., a research food technologist, both work for the Food Safety
Intervention Technologies Research Unit, USDA-ARS-Eastern Regional
Research Center, Wyndmoor, PA. Drs. Sommers and Fan were co-moderators
of the IFT symposium from which this book arose and have over thirty
years combined experience in food irradiation, food technology,
chemistry, microbiology and toxicology.
