Question

The process of exposing food and food package to ionizing radiation is known as
A. Irradiation
B. Infrared processing
C. Ohmic processing
D. Ultraviolet processing
E. Exposure processing
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

• A. A only
• B. A and B only
• C. A and D only
• D. C and E only

Hint:

Ionizing radiation has sufficient energy to remove tightly bound electrons from atoms, creating ions.
In food technology, the term "Irradition" refers specifically to the application of this high-energy radiation.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Food preservation technologies use physical treatments to eliminate pathogens, reduce microbial loads, and extend the shelf life of food products.
These technologies can use thermal energy, electrical currents, or electromagnetic radiation.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us define each of the processing terms provided in the options:
- A. Irradiation: Food irradiation is a food preservation process that involves exposing food or food packaging to ionizing radiation.
This ionizing radiation can be in the form of gamma rays (emitted from radioactive sources like Cobalt-60 or Cesium-137), high-energy X-rays, or accelerated electron beams.
The high-energy radiation breaks chemical bonds in the DNA of microorganisms, parasites, and insects, destroying them or preventing them from reproducing without raising the temperature of the food significantly. This matches statement A.
- B. Infrared processing: This is a thermal processing method that uses non-ionizing infrared electromagnetic radiation to heat the surface of food. This is not ionizing radiation.
- C. Ohmic processing: This is a thermal method where an alternating electrical current is passed directly through food to heat it internally due to its electrical resistance.
- D. Ultraviolet processing: This utilizes non-ionizing ultraviolet (UV-C) light primarily for surface disinfection, which does not have sufficient energy to cause ionization.
- E. Exposure processing: This is a general, non-technical term with no specific scientific definition in food preservation.
Therefore, only statement A correctly describes the process.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The process described is known as Irradiation (Statement A only).