Why irradiate spices ?
Most spices get heavily contaminated with microbes including pathogenic bacteria during sun drying. Contamination arises from deposition of excreta of insects, birds, rodents and other animals and from wind blown dust containing these microbes. Naturally present mold spores can grow under high humidity storage conditions and lead to formation of aflatoxins and other mycotoxins. It can also lead to caking and spoilage. Insect infestation is another major problem in stored spices often resulting in losses up to 20-25%.
