What irradiation technologies is Toan Phat Irradiation Plant (TPI) applying and how effective and safe are these technologies?

What is food irradiation?

Food irradiation is a method of affecting food with ionizing radiation. High-energy rays pass through food; helps eliminate bacteria, microorganisms and limit the spread of pests without significantly changing the nutrients, color, and flavor of food.

Benefits of irradiation treatment

Food irradiation is considered a safe and effective food preservation method with many benefits such as: destroying and significantly reducing pathogenic microorganisms and bacteria such as Salmonella, Escherichia Coli; Inhibits the germination and ripening of fruits, vegetables, and seeds; prolongs the shelf life of food, minimizes the risk of food poisoning and improves product quality. However, the appropriate radiation dose for food irradiation depends on the type of food, food storage conditions, purpose of irradiation and each country's own standards.

APHIS - USDA Quarantine Officer carries out plant quarantine procedures before irradiation treatment at Toan Phat Irradiation Plant

Does irradiation make food radioactive?

Prestigious organizations in the world such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO); International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); International Health Organization (WHO) and International Standards Committee (CAC); has investigated and evaluated irradiated food projects to confirm the safety and quality of various irradiated products.

Irradiated food is not exposed to radioactive substances, so the food is not radioactive. After irradiation, no toxins appear; There is no change in chemical components nor does it reduce the nutritional value or vitamins in the food, in addition there is no change in amino acids and fatty acids... Therefore, food irradiation does not adversely affect quality or human health but also helps improve the economic benefits of the food industry.

Advantages of irradiation technologies at Toan Phat Irradiation Factory

There are 03 most advanced irradiation technologies today, including: Cobalt-60, E-Beam, X-ray. Toan Phat Irradiation Factory is one of the pioneers in applying all three of these advanced irradiation technologies; each technology has its own characteristics but all ensure the safety of foods and goods when irradiated. Thanks to the application of modern technology, it has helped speed up the processing of irradiated goods, improve service quality, reduce waiting time and optimize costs for customers.

1. Irradiation machine system with Cobalt-60 source using Gamma rays

Gamma ray irradiation uses radiation produced by the decay of the radioactive isotope Cobalt-60. This isotope emits high-energy photons (1.17MeV and 1.33MeV), capable of penetrating food to a depth of several tens of centimeters; so it is especially suitable for handling products with high density. Gamma irradiation process is applied to sterilize and effectively treat many different types of products such as: medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food and household appliances... with advantages such as:

- Suitable and safe for irradiating most foods.

- Achieve highly uniform dosage in product processing.

- Does not depend on shape, temperature, pressure, does not consume projectors.

- Has good penetrating ability, helping to effectively handle high density packages.

2. E-Beam irradiation system uses Electron beams

The irradiation process using E-Beam technology uses ionizing radiation which is high energy Electrons. The Electrons generated by the Electron Gun are accelerated by high-frequency waves through the high-frequency energy resonance structure amplified from the power source. Electrons have negative charge, small mass, and high energy; Therefore, it easily interacts with atoms and molecules in food through primary and secondary effects that cause very fast reactions on molecules or microorganisms. The advantages of this irradiation technology are:

- Processing speed is fast and efficient, optimizing irradiation time.

- Able to meet large output irradiation requirements.

- Safe, does not leave radioactive residue on products after processing.

- Use safe and environmentally friendly electronic energy sources.

E-Beam Irradiation System Operation Center of Toan Phat Irradiation Factory

3. Bremsstrahlung irradiation system uses X-rays

X-ray irradiation technology is a method developed based on electron beam irradiation technology. Electrons produced in the device have energies of 5MeV and 7.5MeV. Electrons interact with the Tantalum plate to create X-rays - Bremsstrahlung (bremsstrahlung radiation) and bring advantages such as:

- The processing of irradiated products is quick and standard.

- Safe and highly effective in handling many types of products with different densities.

- Improves the penetration of photon energy, increasing the ability to penetrate through products (similar to Gamma rays).

- High flexibility, capable of processing many products with different dose requirements in the same irradiation cycle.

Safety of irradiation technologies at Toan Phat Irradiation Plant

Research by prestigious medical and scientific organizations around the world has shown that food irradiation technology can bring many benefits to consumers, businesses and society. Toan Phat Irradiation Factory applies advanced and modern irradiation technologies; At the same time, always comply with industry principles and regulations; the irradiation dose is within the allowable level and operated according to proper procedures, ensuring the safety and quality of irradiated goods and not affecting the surrounding environment. Thereby, to accompany businesses to achieve high efficiency in exporting agricultural products and goods to the world market.

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Address: Lot A24-1, Ngang 1 Street, Phu An Thanh Industrial Park, An Thanh, Ben Luc, Long An