Text 6367, 69 rader
Skriven 2008-04-30 18:14:00 av JOAN MACDIARMID (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av GLEN JAMIESON
Ärende: IRRADIATED FOODS   80424
================================
 Hi, Glen,

 GJ> Irradiation:

 JM> One thing I would point out is that radiation comes
 JM> in all sorts of wavelengths, including the radio
 JM> frequencies that saturate our environment! TV
 JM> transmission (non-cable) exposes us to more "radiation".
 JM> I suspect the "radiation" used to sterilize our local
 JM> cider (so it doesn't have to be pasteurized with heat)
 JM> is ultraviolet radiation. That's in the same wavelength
 JM> range as the burning rays from sunshine the article
 JM> recommends we get enough of for our health! My local
 JM> cider doesn't taste cooked. And that wavelength range
 JM> has nothing to do with nukes, except the sun, our
 JM> very own nuclear fusion reactor.

 GJ> The usual food sterilizer is Gamma radiation, which is a
 GJ> non-particulate form of electro-magnetic radiation similar in
 GJ> wavelength to X-rays, and it leaves no residual radio-activity.

 Yes, Jim made the observation that food irradiation
 in Canada was either gamma, X-ray or, um, something
 else, not UV. I was supposing high-intensity UV for
 three reasons. First, that's what's used to keep the
 labs used for cell-culture at the Uni sterile when
 they are not occupied. And second, the cider, though
 a bit murky as pressed, is not opaque, so a thin layer
 passed under a high-intensity source should be
 adequately treated. Third, I suspect high-intensity
 UV is way cheaper than gamma or X-ray irradiation, and
 several separate orchards represented at my Farmers
 Market are offering this irradiated (not pasteurized)
 cider, so whatever technology they are using must be
 affordable or they are in a cooperative arrangement
 to share the cost of the equipment.

 JM> Another point I would make is that I have tried
 JM> the "irradiated" ground beef Wegman's sells at
 JM> a somewhat higher price, and it is definitely
 JM> better to my taste. I don't know what wavelength
 JM> of radiation was used to sterilize it, except
 JM> it wasn't ultraviolet, because UV won't penetrate
 JM> an opaque material far enough. Probably X-rays,
 JM> but the irradiation doesn't leave radioactivity
 JM> or lingering contamination.

 GJ> I suggest that the irradiated meat tastes better than the usual minced
 GJ> (ground) meat because it doesn't have any nitrate or other
 GJ> preservatives added to give it an acceptable shelf life.

 I don't think our ground meat includes extra
 "ingredients", as that would have to be in
 the labeling. (Inadvertent contamination is
 not a deliberate ingredient.) I think the
 meat is prepackaged, then irradiated to
 sterility, and little more can happen to it
 as long as it is sealed and refrigerated. This
 includes no more exposure to oxygen after the
 packaging, which probably has its own
 degradative effect. Anyway, I did like the
 product, though am less willing to pay the
 higher price for it.

 Joan

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