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Subject: Fw: Ten Reasons to Throw out your Microwave Oven

 

 

 

Looks like microwave may be one of the most useful and fastest but deadliest equipment in the kitchen! Wouldn't recommend using it for babies or young children.

 

 

 

 

Dear All,

 

As I write, a dear friend of mine lies dying of cancer.

 

His doctor has given him only 3 - 4 months to live because the cancer has spread aggressively to many parts of his body and he is determined to be inoperable.

 

The news came as a great shock to him, his family and close friends like me because he is relatively young, physically fit and strong, a Karate black belt holder, body builder, and a food and health fanatic.

 

My friend is also a non-smoker, takes different kinds of fresh fruit salads every day of the week. He swallows multi-vitamin pills daily. He dines out only occasionally. He also takes his faith and religion seriously and goes to church every Sunday.

 

So I pondered long and hard over the news. I asked myself and wondered for days as to how and why.......

 

Is it possible that people including my friend and I are ignorantly sacrificing their health in exchange for the convenience of microwave ovens?

 

Why did the Soviet Union ban the use of microwave ovens in 1976? Did you know it was the Nazis who invented microwave ovens, and why? The answers to these questions may shock you.

 

With thanks to our forum member Mr. Chan Mun Chu who posted the initial warning earlier, I have read and managed to summarise his rather onerous and lengthy report into a more readible format. For those who are interested in the scientific details though, please click to open the attached, if not read on and warn your friends and loved ones about the dangers of a microwave oven.

 

Who knows, you may save a life - even if that life is not yours.

 

Eddy Cheong

 

Founder & Chairman

 

New Huaren Forum

 

Ten Reasons to Throw out your Microwave Oven

 

 

From the conclusions of Swiss, Russian and German scientific clinical studies, it has been found that:-

 

 

1). Continually eating food processed from a microwave oven causes long term - permanent - brain damage by "shorting out" electrical impulses in the brain [de-polarizing or de-magnetizing the brain tissue].

 

 

2). The human body cannot metabolize [break down] the unknown by-products created in microwaved food.

 

 

3). Male and female hormone production is shut down and/or altered by continually eating microwaved foods.

 

 

4). The effects of microwaved food by-products are residual [long term, permanent] within the human body.

 

 

5). Minerals, vitamins, and nutrients of all microwaved food is reduced or altered so that the human body gets little or no benefit, or the human body absorbs altered compounds that cannot be broken down.

 

 

6). The minerals in vegetables are altered into cancerous free radicals when cooked in microwave ovens.

 

 

7). Microwaved foods cause stomach and intestinal cancerous growths [tumors]. This may explain the rapidly increased rate of colon cancer in America.

 

 

8). The prolonged eating of microwaved foods causes cancerous cells to increase in human blood.

 

 

9). Continual ingestion of microwaved food causes immune system deficiencies through lymph gland and blood serum alterations.

 

 

10). Eating microwaved food causes loss of memory, concentration, emotional instability, and a decrease of intelligence.

 

 

Carcinogens in microwaved food

 

In Dr. Lita Lee's book, Health Effects of Microwave Radiation - Microwave Ovens, and in the March and September 1991 issues of Earthletter, she stated that every microwave oven leaks electro-magnetic radiation, harms food, and converts substances cooked in it to dangerous organ-toxic and carcinogenic products. Further research summarized in this article reveal that microwave ovens are far more harmful than previously imagined.

 

 

The following is a summary of the Russian investigations published by the Atlantis Raising Educational Center in Portland, Oregon. Carcinogens were formed in virtually all foods tested. No test food was subjected to more microwaving than necessary to accomplish the purpose, i.e., cooking, thawing, or heating to insure sanitary ingestion. Here's a summary of some of the results:

 

* Microwaving prepared meats sufficiently to insure sanitary ingestion caused formation of d-Nitrosodienthanolamines, a well-known carcinogen.

* Microwaving milk and cereal grains converted some of their amino acids into carcinogens.

* Thawing frozen fruits converted their glucoside and galactoside containing fractions into carcinogenic substances.

* Extremely short exposure of raw, cooked or frozen vegetables converted their plant alkaloids into carcinogens.

* Carcinogenic free radicals were formed in microwaved plants, especially root vegetables.

* Decrease in nutritional value

Russian researchers also reported a marked acceleration of structural degradation leading to a decreased food value of 60 to 90% in all foods tested. Among the changes observed were:

 

Deceased bio-availability of vitamin B complex, vitamin C, vitamin E, essential minerals and lipotropics factors in all food tested.

Various kinds of damaged to many plant substances, such as alkaloids, glucosides, galactosides and nitrilosides.

The degradation of nucleo-proteins in meats.

 

Microwave sickness is discovered

 

The Russians did research on thousands of workers who had been exposed to microwaves during the development of radar in the 1950's. Their research showed health problems so serious that the Russians set strict limits of 10 microwatts exposure for workers and one microwatt for civilians.

 

In Robert O. Becker's book, The Body Electric, he described Russian research on the health effects of microwave radiation, which they called "microwave sickness." On page 314, Becker states:

 

"It's [Microwave sickness] first signs are low blood pressure and slow pulse. The later and most common manifestations are chronic excitation of the sympathetic nervous system [stress syndrome] and high blood pressure. This phase also often includes headache, dizziness, eye pain, sleeplessness, irritability, anxiety, stomach pain, nervous tension, inability to concentrate, hair loss, plus an increased incidence of appendicitis, cataracts, reproductive problems, and cancer. The chronic symptoms are eventually succeeded by crisis of adrenal exhaustion and ischemic heart disease [the blockage of coronary arteries and heart attacks]."

 

According to Dr. Lee, changes are observed in the blood chemistries and the rates of certain diseases among consumers of microwaved foods. The symptoms above can easily be caused by the observations shown below. The following is a sample of these changes:

 

* Lymphatic disorders were observed, leading to decreased ability to prevent certain types of cancers.

* An increased rate of cancer cell formation was observed in the blood.

* Increased rates of stomach and intestinal cancers were observed.

* Higher rates of digestive disorders and a gradual breakdown of the systems of elimination were observed.

Microwave research conclusions

 

The following were the most significant German and Russian research operations facilities concerning the biological effects of microwaves:

 

* Category I, Cancer-Causing Effects

* Category II, Nutritive Destruction of Foods

* Category III, Biological Effects of Exposure

CATEGORY I

 

CANCER-CAUSING EFFECTS

 

[The first two points of Category I are not readable from our report copy. The remainder of the report is intact.]

 

3. Creation of a "binding effect" to radioactivity in the atmosphere, thus causing a marked increase in the amount of alpha and beta particle saturation in foods;

 

4. Creation of cancer causing agents within protein hydrolysate compounds* in milk and cereal grains [*these are natural proteins that are split into unnatural fragments by the addition of water];

 

5. Alteration of elemental food-substances, causing disorders in the digestive system by unstable catabolism* of foods subjected to microwaves [*the metabolic breakdown process];

 

6. Due to chemical alterations within food substances, malfunctions were observed within the lymphatic systems [absorbent vessels], causing a degeneration of the immune potentials of the body to protect against certain forms of neoplastics [abnormal growths of tissue];

 

7. Ingestion of microwaved foods caused a higher percentage of cancerous cells within the blood serum [cytomas - cell tumors such as sarcoma];

 

8. Microwave emissions caused alteration in the catabolic [metabolic breakdown] behavior of glucoside [hydrolyzed dextrose] and galactoside [oxidized alcohol] elements within frozen fruits when thawed in this manner;

 

9. Microwave emission caused alteration of the catabolic [metabolic breakdown] behavior of plant alkaloids [organic nitrogen based elements] when raw, cooked, or frozen vegetables were exposed for even extremely short durations;

 

10. Cancer causing free radicals [highly reactive incomplete molecules] were formed within certain trace mineral molecular formations in plant substances, and in particular, raw root-vegetables; and,

 

11. In a statistically high percentage of persons, microwaved foods caused stomach and intestinal cancerous growths, as well as a general degeneration of peripheral cellular tissues, with a gradual breakdown of the function of the digestive and excretive systems.

 

CATEGORY II

 

DECREASE IN FOOD VALUE

 

Microwave exposure caused significant decreases in the nutritive value of all foods researched. The following are the most important findings:

 

1. A decrease in the bioavailability [capability of the body to utilize the nutriment] of B-complex vitamins, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, essential minerals and lipotropics in all foods;

 

2. A loss of 60-90% of the vital energy field content of all tested foods;

 

3. A reduction in the metabolic behavior and integration process capability of alkaloids [organic nitrogen based elements], glucosides and galactosides, and nitrilosides;

 

4. A destruction of the nutritive value of nucleoproteins in meats;

 

5. A marked acceleration of structural disintegration in all foods.

 

CATEGORY III

 

BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF EXPOSURE

 

Exposure to microwave emissions also had an unpredictably negative effect upon the general biological welfare of humans. This was not discovered until the Russians experimented with highly sophisticated equipment and discovered that a human did not even need to ingest the material substance of the microwaved food substances: that even exposure to the energy-field itself was sufficient to cause such adverse side effects that the use of any such microwave apparatus was forbidden in 1976 by Soviet state law.

 

The following are the enumerated effects:

 

1. A breakdown of the human "life-energy field" in those who were exposed to microwave ovens while in operation, with side-effects to the human energy field of increasingly longer duration;

 

2. A degeneration of the cellular voltage parallels during the process of using the apparatus, especially in the blood and lymphatic areas;

 

3. A degeneration and destabilization of the external energy activated potentials of food utilization within the processes of human metabolism;

 

4. A degeneration and destabilization of internal cellular membrane potentials while transferring catabolic [metabolic breakdown] processes into the blood serum from the digestive process;

 

5. Degeneration and circuit breakdowns of electrical nerve impulses within the junction potentials of the cerebrum [the front portion of the brain where thought and higher functions reside];

 

6. A degeneration and breakdown of nerve electrical circuits and loss of energy field symmetry in the neuroplexuses [nerve centers] both in the front and the rear of the central and autonomic nervous systems;

 

7. Loss of balance and circuiting of the bioelectric strengths within the ascending reticular activating system [the system which controls the function of consciousness];

 

8. A long term cumulative loss of vital energies within humans, animals and plants that were located within a 500-meter radius of the operational equipment;

 

9. Long lasting residual effects of magnetic "deposits" were located throughout the nervous system and lymphatic system;

 

10. A destabilization and interruption in the production of hormones and maintenance of hormonal balance in males and females;

 

11. Markedly higher levels of brainwave disturbance in the alpha, theta, and delta wave signal patterns of persons exposed to microwave emission fields, and;

 

12. Because of this brainwave disturbance, negative psychological effects were noted, including loss of memory, loss of ability to concentrate, suppressed emotional threshold, deceleration of intellective processes, and interruptive sleep episodes in a statistically higher percentage of individuals subjected to continual range emissive field effects of microwave apparatus, either in cooking apparatus or in transmission stations.

 

Forensic Research Conclusions

 

From the twenty-eight above enumerated indications, the use of microwave apparatus is definitely not advisable; and, with the decision of the Soviet government in 1976, present scientific opinion in many countries concerning the use of such apparatus is clearly in evidence

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Subject: Fw: Ten Reasons to Throw out your Microwave Oven

 

 

 

Looks like microwave may be one of the most useful and fastest but deadliest equipment in the kitchen! Wouldn't recommend using it for babies or young children.

 

 

 

 

Dear All,

 

As I write, a dear friend of mine lies dying of cancer.

 

His doctor has given him only 3 - 4 months to live because the cancer has spread aggressively to many parts of his body and he is determined to be inoperable.

 

The news came as a great shock to him, his family and close friends like me because he is relatively young, physically fit and strong, a Karate black belt holder, body builder, and a food and health fanatic.

 

My friend is also a non-smoker, takes different kinds of fresh fruit salads every day of the week. He swallows multi-vitamin pills daily. He dines out only occasionally. He also takes his faith and religion seriously and goes to church every Sunday.

 

So I pondered long and hard over the news. I asked myself and wondered for days as to how and why.......

 

Is it possible that people including my friend and I are ignorantly sacrificing their health in exchange for the convenience of microwave ovens?

 

Why did the Soviet Union ban the use of microwave ovens in 1976? Did you know it was the Nazis who invented microwave ovens, and why? The answers to these questions may shock you.

 

With thanks to our forum member Mr. Chan Mun Chu who posted the initial warning earlier, I have read and managed to summarise his rather onerous and lengthy report into a more readible format. For those who are interested in the scientific details though, please click to open the attached, if not read on and warn your friends and loved ones about the dangers of a microwave oven.

 

Who knows, you may save a life - even if that life is not yours.

 

Eddy Cheong

 

Founder & Chairman

 

New Huaren Forum

 

Ten Reasons to Throw out your Microwave Oven

 

 

From the conclusions of Swiss, Russian and German scientific clinical studies, it has been found that:-

 

 

1). Continually eating food processed from a microwave oven causes long term - permanent - brain damage by "shorting out" electrical impulses in the brain [de-polarizing or de-magnetizing the brain tissue].

 

 

2). The human body cannot metabolize [break down] the unknown by-products created in microwaved food.

 

 

3). Male and female hormone production is shut down and/or altered by continually eating microwaved foods.

 

 

4). The effects of microwaved food by-products are residual [long term, permanent] within the human body.

 

 

5). Minerals, vitamins, and nutrients of all microwaved food is reduced or altered so that the human body gets little or no benefit, or the human body absorbs altered compounds that cannot be broken down.

 

 

6). The minerals in vegetables are altered into cancerous free radicals when cooked in microwave ovens.

 

 

7). Microwaved foods cause stomach and intestinal cancerous growths [tumors]. This may explain the rapidly increased rate of colon cancer in America.

 

 

8). The prolonged eating of microwaved foods causes cancerous cells to increase in human blood.

 

 

9). Continual ingestion of microwaved food causes immune system deficiencies through lymph gland and blood serum alterations.

 

 

10). Eating microwaved food causes loss of memory, concentration, emotional instability, and a decrease of intelligence.

 

 

Carcinogens in microwaved food

 

In Dr. Lita Lee's book, Health Effects of Microwave Radiation - Microwave Ovens, and in the March and September 1991 issues of Earthletter, she stated that every microwave oven leaks electro-magnetic radiation, harms food, and converts substances cooked in it to dangerous organ-toxic and carcinogenic products. Further research summarized in this article reveal that microwave ovens are far more harmful than previously imagined.

 

 

The following is a summary of the Russian investigations published by the Atlantis Raising Educational Center in Portland, Oregon. Carcinogens were formed in virtually all foods tested. No test food was subjected to more microwaving than necessary to accomplish the purpose, i.e., cooking, thawing, or heating to insure sanitary ingestion. Here's a summary of some of the results:

 

* Microwaving prepared meats sufficiently to insure sanitary ingestion caused formation of d-Nitrosodienthanolamines, a well-known carcinogen.

* Microwaving milk and cereal grains converted some of their amino acids into carcinogens.

* Thawing frozen fruits converted their glucoside and galactoside containing fractions into carcinogenic substances.

* Extremely short exposure of raw, cooked or frozen vegetables converted their plant alkaloids into carcinogens.

* Carcinogenic free radicals were formed in microwaved plants, especially root vegetables.

* Decrease in nutritional value

Russian researchers also reported a marked acceleration of structural degradation leading to a decreased food value of 60 to 90% in all foods tested. Among the changes observed were:

 

Deceased bio-availability of vitamin B complex, vitamin C, vitamin E, essential minerals and lipotropics factors in all food tested.

Various kinds of damaged to many plant substances, such as alkaloids, glucosides, galactosides and nitrilosides.

The degradation of nucleo-proteins in meats.

 

Microwave sickness is discovered

 

The Russians did research on thousands of workers who had been exposed to microwaves during the development of radar in the 1950's. Their research showed health problems so serious that the Russians set strict limits of 10 microwatts exposure for workers and one microwatt for civilians.

 

In Robert O. Becker's book, The Body Electric, he described Russian research on the health effects of microwave radiation, which they called "microwave sickness." On page 314, Becker states:

 

"It's [Microwave sickness] first signs are low blood pressure and slow pulse. The later and most common manifestations are chronic excitation of the sympathetic nervous system [stress syndrome] and high blood pressure. This phase also often includes headache, dizziness, eye pain, sleeplessness, irritability, anxiety, stomach pain, nervous tension, inability to concentrate, hair loss, plus an increased incidence of appendicitis, cataracts, reproductive problems, and cancer. The chronic symptoms are eventually succeeded by crisis of adrenal exhaustion and ischemic heart disease [the blockage of coronary arteries and heart attacks]."

 

According to Dr. Lee, changes are observed in the blood chemistries and the rates of certain diseases among consumers of microwaved foods. The symptoms above can easily be caused by the observations shown below. The following is a sample of these changes:

 

* Lymphatic disorders were observed, leading to decreased ability to prevent certain types of cancers.

* An increased rate of cancer cell formation was observed in the blood.

* Increased rates of stomach and intestinal cancers were observed.

* Higher rates of digestive disorders and a gradual breakdown of the systems of elimination were observed.

Microwave research conclusions

 

The following were the most significant German and Russian research operations facilities concerning the biological effects of microwaves:

 

* Category I, Cancer-Causing Effects

* Category II, Nutritive Destruction of Foods

* Category III, Biological Effects of Exposure

CATEGORY I

 

CANCER-CAUSING EFFECTS

 

[The first two points of Category I are not readable from our report copy. The remainder of the report is intact.]

 

3. Creation of a "binding effect" to radioactivity in the atmosphere, thus causing a marked increase in the amount of alpha and beta particle saturation in foods;

 

4. Creation of cancer causing agents within protein hydrolysate compounds* in milk and cereal grains [*these are natural proteins that are split into unnatural fragments by the addition of water];

 

5. Alteration of elemental food-substances, causing disorders in the digestive system by unstable catabolism* of foods subjected to microwaves [*the metabolic breakdown process];

 

6. Due to chemical alterations within food substances, malfunctions were observed within the lymphatic systems [absorbent vessels], causing a degeneration of the immune potentials of the body to protect against certain forms of neoplastics [abnormal growths of tissue];

 

7. Ingestion of microwaved foods caused a higher percentage of cancerous cells within the blood serum [cytomas - cell tumors such as sarcoma];

 

8. Microwave emissions caused alteration in the catabolic [metabolic breakdown] behavior of glucoside [hydrolyzed dextrose] and galactoside [oxidized alcohol] elements within frozen fruits when thawed in this manner;

 

9. Microwave emission caused alteration of the catabolic [metabolic breakdown] behavior of plant alkaloids [organic nitrogen based elements] when raw, cooked, or frozen vegetables were exposed for even extremely short durations;

 

10. Cancer causing free radicals [highly reactive incomplete molecules] were formed within certain trace mineral molecular formations in plant substances, and in particular, raw root-vegetables; and,

 

11. In a statistically high percentage of persons, microwaved foods caused stomach and intestinal cancerous growths, as well as a general degeneration of peripheral cellular tissues, with a gradual breakdown of the function of the digestive and excretive systems.

 

CATEGORY II

 

DECREASE IN FOOD VALUE

 

Microwave exposure caused significant decreases in the nutritive value of all foods researched. The following are the most important findings:

 

1. A decrease in the bioavailability [capability of the body to utilize the nutriment] of B-complex vitamins, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, essential minerals and lipotropics in all foods;

 

2. A loss of 60-90% of the vital energy field content of all tested foods;

 

3. A reduction in the metabolic behavior and integration process capability of alkaloids [organic nitrogen based elements], glucosides and galactosides, and nitrilosides;

 

4. A destruction of the nutritive value of nucleoproteins in meats;

 

5. A marked acceleration of structural disintegration in all foods.

 

CATEGORY III

 

BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF EXPOSURE

 

Exposure to microwave emissions also had an unpredictably negative effect upon the general biological welfare of humans. This was not discovered until the Russians experimented with highly sophisticated equipment and discovered that a human did not even need to ingest the material substance of the microwaved food substances: that even exposure to the energy-field itself was sufficient to cause such adverse side effects that the use of any such microwave apparatus was forbidden in 1976 by Soviet state law.

 

The following are the enumerated effects:

 

1. A breakdown of the human "life-energy field" in those who were exposed to microwave ovens while in operation, with side-effects to the human energy field of increasingly longer duration;

 

2. A degeneration of the cellular voltage parallels during the process of using the apparatus, especially in the blood and lymphatic areas;

 

3. A degeneration and destabilization of the external energy activated potentials of food utilization within the processes of human metabolism;

 

4. A degeneration and destabilization of internal cellular membrane potentials while transferring catabolic [metabolic breakdown] processes into the blood serum from the digestive process;

 

5. Degeneration and circuit breakdowns of electrical nerve impulses within the junction potentials of the cerebrum [the front portion of the brain where thought and higher functions reside];

 

6. A degeneration and breakdown of nerve electrical circuits and loss of energy field symmetry in the neuroplexuses [nerve centers] both in the front and the rear of the central and autonomic nervous systems;

 

7. Loss of balance and circuiting of the bioelectric strengths within the ascending reticular activating system [the system which controls the function of consciousness];

 

8. A long term cumulative loss of vital energies within humans, animals and plants that were located within a 500-meter radius of the operational equipment;

 

9. Long lasting residual effects of magnetic "deposits" were located throughout the nervous system and lymphatic system;

 

10. A destabilization and interruption in the production of hormones and maintenance of hormonal balance in males and females;

 

11. Markedly higher levels of brainwave disturbance in the alpha, theta, and delta wave signal patterns of persons exposed to microwave emission fields, and;

 

12. Because of this brainwave disturbance, negative psychological effects were noted, including loss of memory, loss of ability to concentrate, suppressed emotional threshold, deceleration of intellective processes, and interruptive sleep episodes in a statistically higher percentage of individuals subjected to continual range emissive field effects of microwave apparatus, either in cooking apparatus or in transmission stations.

 

Forensic Research Conclusions

 

From the twenty-eight above enumerated indications, the use of microwave apparatus is definitely not advisable; and, with the decision of the Soviet government in 1976, present scientific opinion in many countries concerning the use of such apparatus is clearly in evidence

Well done. Many thanks for sharing with us. I wonder why our government maintain silence about such observations? Malingering/Igonarance?

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Well done. Many thanks for sharing with us. I wonder why our government maintain silence about such observations? Malingering/Igonarance?

 

Our government is keeping quiet for alot of things, even why they want so much pay for themselves

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Well done. Many thanks for sharing with us. I wonder why our government maintain silence about such observations? Malingering/Igonarance?

 

what has malingering got to do with it?

 

And dun quote the whole fking text la.

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TLDR

BUT microwave is non-ionising, so it cannot cause cancer. It just excites the water molecules, causing tissues to heat up, hence it can cook stuff which contains moisture.

 

This long article is BS.

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TLDR

BUT microwave is non-ionising, so it cannot cause cancer. It just excites the water molecules, causing tissues to heat up, hence it can cook stuff which contains moisture.

 

This long article is BS.

i am not sure that is why i hope someone can CSI

 

 

not all non-ionising radiation is harmless

remember mobile phones

 

a good probable example

i you excite your di di, the tissue also heat up and become hard and at the end also have more than moisture

but in the process, the brain and the other limbs are also convulsing

 

so they are connected

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Neutral Newbie

Best is not to eat any cooked food.

Heat alters the chemistry of food. It makes the meat break down into other forms.

If you're afraid of cancer, don't eat cooked food. [laugh]

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Neutral Newbie

There are many ways to process food, to cook it or get rid of bacteria; like pasteurization, irradiation, etc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_irradiation

 

Is any of this safe or unsafe ?

 

Would you believe if anyone purports to write the "truth" or "myth" about microwave oven ?

 

You just have to decide if it's the truth by yourself. :D

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Neutral Newbie

Do you know that there are people out there that don't smoke, vegetarian, don't drink, regular exercise... But still die of cancer?? Cancerous cells are in everyone, you can say we are a walking time bomb. Its the human body that ignite the cells to evolve not external sources, thats proven in medical science. So?? What has it got to do with microwave??

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BS? How about this irradiation of all our fruits, veggie, and processed food.

This one got ionization hor......how BS or not?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_irradiation

 

 

TLDR

BUT microwave is non-ionising, so it cannot cause cancer. It just excites the water molecules, causing tissues to heat up, hence it can cook stuff which contains moisture.

 

This long article is BS.

 

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Food irradiation is the process of exposing food to ionizing radiation[1] to destroy microorganisms, bacteria, viruses, or insects that might be present in the food. Further applications include sprout inhibition, delay of ripening, increase of juice yield, and improvement of re-hydration. Irradiated food does not become radioactive, but in some cases there may be subtle chemical changes.

Irradiation is a more general term of the exposure of materials to radiation to achieve a technical goal (in this context "ionizing radiation" is implied). As such it is also used on non-food items, such as medical devices, plastics, tubes for gas pipelines, hoses for floor heating, shrink-foils for food packaging, automobile parts, wires and cables (isolation), tires, and even gemstones.

Food irradiation acts by damaging the target organism's DNA beyond its ability to repair. Microorganisms can no longer proliferate and continue their malignant or pathogenic activities. Spoilage-causing microorganisms cannot continue their activities. Insects do not survive, or become incapable of reproduction. Plants cannot continue their natural ripening processes.[1]

The energy density per atomic transition of ionizing radiation is very high; it can break apart molecules and induce ionization, which is not achieved by mere heating. This is the reason for both new effects and new concerns. The treatment of solid food by ionizing radiation can provide an effect similar to heat pasteurization of liquids, such as milk. The use of the term "cold pasteurization" to describe irradiated foods is controversial, since pasteurization and irradiation are fundamentally different processes.

Food irradiation is currently permitted by over 50 countries, and the volume of food treated is estimated to exceed 500,000 metric tons annually worldwide.[2][3][4][5][6]

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