ABSTRACT
Food irradiation is a physical treatment in which food is exposed to ionizing radiation, i.e., radiation of sufficient energy to expel electrons from atoms and to ionize molecules. This radiation may be in the form of high-energy photons (gamma rays or x-rays) or accelerated electrons in the form of an electron beam (e-beam). Foods treated with ionizing radiation have consistently been shown to be wholesome and nutritious [1-9]. Numerous reviews have been written on food irradiation [10-14], including reviews that specifically address the irradiation of fruit and vegetable products [15-17]. Despite the extensive body of evidence and the virtual consensus among researchers, acceptance of irradiated foods by the general public has historically (i.e., pre-2001) been comparatively low [18-20]. This reluctance had been ascribed primarily to a failure on the part of food scientists and food safety experts to adequately educate consumers about the benefits of food irradiation and to dispel persistent fallacies about the process, such as the myth that irradiated food becomes radioactive [21]. Frenzen et al. [22] found that 45.9% of 10,767 U.S. adults surveyed had never heard of food irradiation. Irradiated meats, fruits, and vegetables have been commercially available in the U.S. since 1992, although in limited markets. In 2000, food processors in the U.S. began a major effort to introduce irradiated ground beef and papayas to the marketplace, which led to a steady growth in the capacity of food irradiation facilities in the U.S.
