Does the irradiation make food radioactive?
Irradiation cannot make food radioactive, there is insufficient energy to break into the nucleus of an atom. • Are chemical changes in food harmful? No. In general, the irradiation process produces very little chemical changes in food. None of the changes known to happen have been found to be harmful or dangerous. • Does irradiation affect the nutritional value of food? No more so than any other food processing and preservation method use to achieve the same purpose. • Can irradiated food increase the risk of botulism? Irradiation at internationally recommended levels of up to 10 kilogray does not increase the risk from botulism any more so than any other sub-sterilising food processes such as pasteurisation. Regardless of the process used, food must always be handled with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) to ensure botulism is not produced from Clostridium Botulinum. • Can irradiation be used to make spoiled food good, or clean up dirty food? No. Neither irradiation nor any other foo
