Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Food irradiation utilizes ionizing radiation to destroy pathogens and extend the shelf life of food products.
Ionizing radiation can break chemical bonds, affecting organic molecules depending on their structure and stability.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Organic nutrients like vitamins (Thiamine and Vitamin A) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) contain covalent bonds that are sensitive to free radicals and radiolytic products.
In contrast, minerals are simple, inorganic chemical elements (such as iron, calcium, and zinc) that do not undergo structural degradation or loss of nutritional availability under standard irradiation levels.
Step 3: Final Answer:
Therefore, minerals are the nutrients least affected by the irradiation process.