Radiation Processing for Safe, Shelf-Stable and Ready-to-Eat Food

For developing countries, safe shelf-stable food without the need for refrigeration would offer advantages. Irradiation offers a potential to enhance microbiological safety and quality of food through shelf-life extension. This publication evaluates the role of irradiation for such food.

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The increasingly busy lifestyles of populations in many countries have driven the demand for safe, convenient and ready-to-eat food. Traditional food processes such as drying, canning or refrigeration offer a partial solution to this demand as the sensory quality of such food may be significantly affected or the products may be contaminated by bacteria during preparation. For developing countries, safe shelf-stable food without the need for refrigeration would offer advantages. Irradiation offers a potential to enhance microbiological safety and quality of food through shelf-life extension. A Coordinated Research Project (CRP) on the Development of Safe, Shelf-Stable and Ready-to-Eat Food through Radiation Processing therefore was implemented by the Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture to evaluate the role if irradiation for such food. This publication presents the encouraging research results reported at the final research coordination meeting on this CRP.