Safety of food products treated with ionizing radiation (literature review)

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Abstract

Irradiation of food products with ionizing radiation (OII) is a promising area in the food industry, which is actively developing and using in various countries of the world. This method allows effectively combating dangerous pathogens, prevent food spoilage and extend their shelf life. Food irradiation is approved by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), WHO, and Codex Alimentarius as a safe method of food preservation. Currently, irradiation of several categories of food is allowed in Russia. In this regard, safety issues for consumers of such products are acute. Food exposure leads to radiation, microbiological, and chemical changes in food, but their safety is comparable to that of products treated with other traditional processing methods such as heating, pasteurization and canning. Irradiation of food products does not lead to their radioactivity. According to the Codex Alimentarius, the maximum absorbed dose during irradiation should not exceed 10 kGy. Irradiation of fatty foods leads to the formation of 2-alkylcyclobutanones (2-ACB). Cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of 2-ACB have been confirmed in studies, but only in the case of high concentrations of these compounds. In products irradiated with doses up to 59 kGy, 2-batteries are formed in low concentrations, therefore, irradiation of food products also does not lead to mutagenic or genotoxic effects. The research data confirm the absence of radiation, microbiological, and toxicological risks if the recommended doses and regimens are observed.

Contribution of the authors:
Kuzmin S.V. — the concept and design of the study, collection and processing of material, writing text;
Rusakov V.N. — collection and processing of material, writing text, editing;
Esaulova O.V. — collection and processing of material;
Setko A.G. — writing text, editing.
All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version.

Acknowledgment. The study had no sponsorship.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare the absence of obvious and potential conflicts of interest in connection with the publication of this article.

Received: November 19, 2024 / Accepted: December 11, 2024 / Published: February 28, 2025

About the authors

Sergey V. Kuzmin

Federal Scientific Center of Hygiene named after F.F. Erisman

Email: kuzmin.sv@fncg.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-0209-9732

DSc (Medicine), Professor, Director of the Federal Scientific Center of Hygiene named after F.F. Erisman, Mytishchi, 141014, Russian Federation

e-mail: kuzmin.sv@fncg.ru

Vladimir N. Rusakov

Federal Scientific Center of Hygiene named after F.F. Erisman

Email: vladrus2005@gmail.com
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-9514-9921

PhD (Medicine), leader researcher of the Department of Food Hygiene, F.F. Erisman Federal Scientific Center of Hygiene, Mytishchi, 141014, Russian Federation

e-mail: vladrus2005@gmail.com

Olga V. Esaulova

Federal Scientific Center of Hygiene named after F.F. Erisman

Email: esaulova.ov@fncg.ru
ORCID iD: 0009-0007-1936-1673

PhD (Economy), Head of the Scientific Research Center «Radiation biotechnologies», Federal Scientific Center of Hygiene named after F.F. Erisman, Mytishchi, 141014, Russian Federation

e-mail: esaulova.ov@fncg.ru

Andrey G. Setko

Federal Scientific Center of Hygiene named after F.F. Erisman

Author for correspondence.
Email: setko.ag@fncg.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-6887-6776

DSc (Medicine), Professor, Head of the Department of Food Hygiene, Federal Scientific Center of Hygiene named after F.F. Erisman, Mytishchi, 141014, Russian Federation

e-mail: setko.ag@fncg.ru

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