What are the effects on microorganisms in foods?
Different types and species of microorganisms have different sensitivities to irradiation. Spoilage and disease-causing (pathogenic) bacteria of different species, the major causes of food spoilage and many common food-borne diseases, are generally sensitive to irradiation and can be inactivated by low and medium doses of radiation between 1 and 7 kGy. Bacterial spores are more resistant and require higher doses (above 10 kGy) for inactivation. As with any sub-sterilization process, special care must be taken when irradiating food using low and medium doses to kill off spoilage and pathogenic bacteria, to avoid growth and toxin production by spores of Clostridium botulinum bacteria (which causes botulism poisoning) that may be in some foods, and which can survive the treatment. Yeasts and molds, which can spoil some food, are slightly more resistant to irradiation than are bacteria and require a dose of at least 3 kGy to inactivate them. Since viruses are highly resistant to radiation
