Question:

According to the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulation (2011), what are the minimum and maximum dosages of radiation processing for sterilization of packaging materials?

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Sterilization of non-food materials (like plastic cups, foils, and cartons) always requires high-dose radiation.
The internationally and nationally recognized sterilization dose range is $10$ to $25\text{ kGy}$.
  • 10 kGy and 25 kGy
  • 5 kGy and 10 kGy
  • 0.25 kGy and 1.0 kGy
  • 1.0 kGy and 5.0 kGy
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The Correct Option is A

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Radiation processing (food irradiation and packaging sterilization) utilizes ionizing radiation (such as Gamma rays or Electron beams) to eliminate microbial contamination.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regulates the permissible dose ranges for different applications to ensure safety and efficacy.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

The dosage of radiation is measured in kiloGray (kGy).
Low doses (under $1\text{ kGy}$) are used for sprouting inhibition and insect disinfestation.
Medium doses ($1$ to $10\text{ kGy}$) are used for pasteurization and shelf-life extension.
High doses (above $10\text{ kGy}$) are required for complete sterilization (elimination of highly resistant bacterial spores) of food products and packaging materials.
Under FSSAI regulations, the sterilization of packaging materials requires a high-dose treatment to guarantee sterility before aseptic filling.
The prescribed minimum and maximum dose range for this sterilization process is 10 kGy to 25 kGy.
Therefore, option 1 is the correct range.

Step 3: Final Answer:

The minimum and maximum dosages of radiation processing for sterilization of packaging materials are 10 kGy and 25 kGy.
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