Food irradiation is the process of exposing food to ionizing radiation to destroy microorganisms, bacteria, viruses, or insects that might be present in the food.

Food irradiation acts by damaging the target organism's DNA beyond its ability to repair.

Food irradiation is currently permitted by over 50 countries, and the volume of food treated is estimated to exceed 500, 000 metric tons annually worldwide ; however, the extent of clearances is varying significantly, from a single item ( spices ) in the EU to any food in Brazil.

In consequence, the United States Department of Agriculture ( USDA ) has approved the use of low-level irradiation as an alternative treatment to pesticides for fruits and vegetables that are considered hosts to a number of insect pests, including fruit flies and seed weevils ; the U. S. Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) has cleared among a number of other applications the treatment of hamburger patties to eliminate the residual risk of a contamination by a virulent E. coli.

The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization ( FAO ) has passed a motion to commit member states to implement irradiation technology for their national phytosanitary programs ; the General assembly of the International Atomic Energy Agency ( IAEA ) has urged wider use of the irradiation technology.

Food irradiation using cobalt-60 is the preferred method by most processors, because the deeper penetration enables administering treatment to entire industrial pallets or totes, reducing the need for material handling.

Food irradiation in the United States is primarily regulated by the FDA since it is considered a food additive.

** Food irradiation – A technique for preserving and improving the safety of Food, WHO, Geneva, 1991 ( revised )

* Satin, M., Food irradiation, Technomic, Lancaster, 1996 ( 2.

* Urbain, W. M., Food irradiation, Academic Press, Orlando, 1986

), Food irradiation – Principles and applications, Wiley Interscience, N. Y., 2001

* Farkas, J. and Mohácsi-Farkas, C., History and future of food irradiation, Food Sci.

* Food Irradiation Processing Alliance FIPA represents the irradiation service industry, manufacturers of food irradiators and suppliers of cobalt-60 sources.

* Food & Water Watch – food irradiation page

Food irradiation is the process of exposing food to ionizing radiation in order to destroy microorganisms, bacteria, viruses, or insects that might be present in the food.

Food irradiation is currently permitted by over 40 countries and volumes are estimated to exceed annually world wide.

Food irradiation is essentially a non-nuclear technology ; it relies on the use of ionizing radiation which may be generated by accelerators for electrons and conversion into bremsstrahlung, but which may use also gamma-rays from nuclear decay.

Food irradiation is only a niche application compared to medical supplies, plastic materials, raw materials, gemstones, cables and wires, etc.

The Food and Drug Administration approves of irradiation of spinach leaves up to 4. 0 kilograys ; however, using radiation to sanitize spinach is of concern because it may deplete the leaves of their nutritional value.

Food irradiation, while effective, is seldom used due to public relations problems.

The U. S. Department of Agriculture's ( USDA ) Food Safety and Inspection Service ( FSIS ) recognizes irradiation as an important technology to protecting consumers.

* Food irradiation

Acceptance of radiopasteurization is likely to be delayed, however, for two reasons: ( 1 ) the storage life of fresh chicken under refrigeration is becoming a minimal problem because of constantly improved sanitation and distributing practices, and ( 2 ) treatment by antibiotics, a measure already approved by the Federal Food and Drug Administration, serves to extend the storage life of chicken at a low cost of about 0.5 cents per pound.

Mr. Booker T. W. Jones Food Technician First Class is not sad ; ;

Food is mostly selected by sight, even in conditions of dim light.

* Food quality: Ensuring that the food supply is of a consistent and known quality.

* Food safety: Ensuring that the food supply is free of contamination.

Food is passed from the kitchen to the stube, where the dining room table is placed.

This task force aims to actively address antimicrobial resistance, and is coordinated by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ), and the National Institutes of Health ( NIH ), as well as other US agencies.

* Cold Food Festival, held on April 4 if it is a Leap Year ( China ); and its related observances:

The largest is a Food for Peace school lunch program administered by Catholic Relief Services.

Food is also provided from a catering bus, in which a bus is converted into a mobile canteen and break room.

The Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) is the principal healthcare regulatory authority in the United States, having jurisdiction over medical devices, drugs, biologics, and combination products.

Food is consumed and transferred to points ( an increasing scale of 1000 points is awarded for each enemy burst in tandem with another meaning: one enemy burst equals one food item worth 1000 points, two enemies burst equals two food items worth 1000 and 2000 points, three enemies burst equals three food items worth 1000, 2000, and 4000 points, and so on ) which results in more lives.

Food has become a part of material culture, and cuisine is much more than a substance.

Food is prepared in a separate kitchen located near the house but usually behind it.

Membership in International Organizations: The major organizations in which Colombia is a member include: the Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean, Andean Pact, Caribbean Development Bank, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Group of 3, Group of 11, Group of 24, Group of 77, Inter-American Development Bank, International Atomic Energy Agency, International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, International Chamber of Commerce, International Civil Aviation Organization, International Criminal Police Organization, International Development Association, International Finance Corporation, International Fund for Agricultural Development, International Labour Organization, International Maritime Organization, International Maritime Satellite Organization, International Monetary Fund ( IMF ), International Olympic Committee, International Organization for Migration, International Organization for Standardization, International Telecommunication Union, International Telecommunications Satellite Organization, International Trade Union Confederation, Latin American Economic System, Latin American Integration Association, Latin Union, Non-Aligned Movement, Organization of American States ( OAS ), Permanent Court of Arbitration, Rio Group, United Nations ( UN ), UN Conference on Trade and Development, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UN Industrial Development Organization, UN Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees, Universal Postal Union, World Confederation of Labour, World Federation of Trade Unions, World Health Organization, World Intellectual Property Organization, World Meteorological Organization, World Tourism Organization, and World Trade Organization.

Food is similar to hydrocarbon fuel and carbohydrate fuels, and when it is oxidized, its caloric content is similar ( though not assessed in the same way as a hydrocarbon fuel — see food energy ).

Despite its relatively recent approval by the Food and Drug Administration and the guideline recommendations, digoxin use is decreasing in patients with heart failure, likely the result of several factors.

Food dyes can be direct, mordant and vat dyes, and their use is strictly controlled by legislation.

MyPyramid Food Guidance System is the result of extensive research performed by the United States Department of Agriculture to revise the original Food Guide Pyramid.