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1. Characteristics of ionizing radiation
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Radiation sources
Industrially, we use γ-rays from cobalt 60, more rarely from cesium 137 (for research), and accelerated electrons with energies of 10 MeV or less.
Accelerated electrons are not currently permitted in food.
γ-rays are electromagnetic waves with no mass or charge, and high penetrating power.
The γ rays emitted by cobalt 60 (energies of 1.17 and 1.33 MeV) induce the creation of free electrons and photons in the medium through which they pass. The energy of an electron is too great to be absorbed directly by the medium. The electron in turn ejects other so-called secondary electrons, and so on, until the energy of the last electron ejected is of the same order of magnitude as that of the covalent bonds.
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Characteristics of ionizing radiation
Advantages and limitations of ionization
Regulations
European regulations exist in the form of two directives issued in 1999, but these have still not been transposed into French law. The European list of authorized products has not yet been published, so national regulations continue to apply in the meantime.
Only around twenty products are currently authorized for ionization treatment in France (table
Economic data for France
(source: XIIth International Meeting on Radiation Processing, Avignon March 25-30, 2001)
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Before 2000
Significant quantities of spices were processed from the mid-1980s onwards, reaching a volume of 6,000 t in 1999.
Until the end of 1999, the total quantities of feed treated (see list of products authorized for treatment...
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