ABSTRACT
The number of products being radiation processed worldwide is constantly increasing and today includes such diverse items as medical disposables, spices, meats, seafood and potentially, fruits and vegetables and waste products. This range of products being processed has resulted in a wide range of irradiator designs and capital and operating cost requirements. This paper discusses the economics of food irradiation applications and the effects of various parameters on unit processing costs. It provides a model for calculating specific unit processing costs by correlating known capital costs with annual operating costs and annual throughputs. It is intended to provide the reader with a general knowledge of how unit processing costs are derived, and enough information to assist in the choice of the irradiator model best suited for specific needs.
