Traitement des aliments par rayonnements ionisants : applications, salubrité et législation

Cancer Research Campaign Department of Biophysical Chemistry, Paterson Institute for Cancer Research, Christie Hospital and Holt Radium Institute, Manchester, M20 9BX, UK.

Résumé

Les recherches effectuées sur l’irradiation (l’ionisation) des denrées alimentaires s’étalent sur presque 50 années. Les applications se divisent en deux catégories : a) celles qui concernent un changement dans la denrée même, comme l’inhibition de la germination des pommes de terre, et b) celles qui concernent la destruction des organismes, comme l’élimination des pathogènes des volailles. Après l’évaluation des aspects radiochimiques, toxicologiques, nutritionnels et microbiologiques, de nombreux pays ont autorisé le procédé. Il faut que ce procédé soit contrôlé et que les denrées irradiées soient étiquetées. L’application commerciale du procédé a déjà commencé.

Abstract

Active research into food irradiation began nearly 50 years ago, when, for the first time, there was the prospect of large sources of radiation becoming available. The applications can be divided into two groups a) those where the food itself is altered, e.g. to suppress the sprouting of potatoes, b) those where harmful organisms are destroyed, e.g. to disinfest grain, to increase the shelf-life of strawberries or to eliminate pathogens in poultry. Evaluation of the radiochemistry, radiation chemistry, toxicology, nutritional aspects and microbiology of irradiated foods has led to the conclusion that irradiated foods are safe and wholesome providing the process is properly carried out. Nearly forty countries have now approved the irradiation of foods. Legislation is needed to ensure that the quality of the food to be irradiated is high, that the operation is conducted safely, and that the process is properly documented and inspected. .Irradiated foods should be labelled. The process is slowly beginning to be applied on a commercial scale.