ABSTRACT
Preservation of food is a permanent defying target due to the continuous growth of population, scarcity of soil, and health food safety aspects. Different processing technologies are currently used to preserve food; irradiation processing based on the use of ionizing radiation is used to extend the shelf life of the products, that is, stopping the maturation process; decontamination, that is, lowering the presence of bacteria and fungi; or sterilization of food products, that is, eliminating all the microorganisms. This process is also called “cold pasteurization,” as it does not increase the temperature of the irradiated products signicantly. By using this technology, food
21.1 Introduction .................................................................................................... 623 21.2 Food Irradiation ............................................................................................. 624
21.2.1 Technologies: Gamma and E-Beam Irradiation ................................ 624 21.2.2 Food Processing by Irradiation ......................................................... 625
21.3 Legislation Aspects and Consumer Concerns ............................................... 626 21.3.1 Legislation ......................................................................................... 626 21.3.2 Consumer’s Acceptance .................................................................... 627
21.4 Chestnut Irradiation ....................................................................................... 628 21.4.1 Chestnut Conservation ....................................................................... 628 21.4.2 Effects on Chestnut Nutrients and Bioactives ................................... 629
21.5 Mushrooms Irradiation .................................................................................. 631 21.5.1 Mushrooms Conservation .................................................................. 631 21.5.2 Effects on Mushroom Nutrients and Bioactives ................................ 632
21.6 Dried Plants Irradiation ................................................................................. 637 21.6.1 Dried Plants Conservation ................................................................. 637 21.6.2 Effects on Dried Plants, Nutrients, and Bioactives ........................... 638
21.7 Concluding Remarks ......................................................................................640 References ................................................................................................................ 641
components that are particularly sensitive to thermal treatments, like aromatic compounds in medicinal or edible plants, could be decontaminated.
