Transcript Document

Irradiation for Reducing Pathogens in
Meat and Poultry
William R. Henning
Extension Meat Scientist
Use of Ionizing Radiation for
Reducing Pathogens in
Meat and Poultry
NEW FRONTIERS FOR
FOOD SAFTEY
What we hope to show you
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Science of the technology
Current uses of Irradiation
Plants in operation
Why it is used
Safety and efficacy
How it affects pathogens
What consumers think
How it tastes
Why get involved?
• Irradiated ground beef is coming to a city
near you, SOON
• Consumer activists will likely oppose it
• Fore-warned is fore-armed
– Educate consumers before it is on the market
• Don’t want another GMO debate
What is the Role of an
Extension Educator?
Educator
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Advocate
What is Food Irradiation?
• Provide energy which destroys DNA in
bacteria, parasites, insects, molds
• SOURCE
– Gamma Rays from radioactive material
• Cobalt 60
• Cesium 137
• Accelerated electron beams
• X-Rays
Ionizing Radiation
When radiation strikes other material, it transfers energy
this can cause HEATING, as with microwave cooking
or, if there is enough energy, it can knock electrons out of
of the material bombarded, breaking the molecular structure
- thus leaving ions (free radicals) hence the name Ionizing Radiation --
Terms to describe energy level
• Dose - amount of energy transferred
– rad - old unit
– gray (Gy) - new unit
• very large dose = 1 million rad = 10kGy
• or 1kGy = 100,000 rad
– 1 chest X-ray = .01 rad
– natural background = 0.1 rad/year
Levels of Food Irradiation
• Radurization (low) < 1 kGy
– vegetable sprouting, fruit ripening, insect
sterilization
• Radicidation (medium) 1-10 kGy
– kills most pathogens and many food spoilage
organisms, kills insects and parasites
• Rappertization (high) > 10kGy
– can sterilize by killing all bacteria and viruses
History of Use of Radiation
• 1895 - first work with ionizing radiation
• 1921 - first US patent for use of irradiation
• 1930’s - US Army commissions MIT to determine if
irradiation preserves meat
• 1953 - US Army opens Natick Laboratory to be one
of the “Atoms for Peace” technology
• 1965 - Office of Surgeon General concludes that
foods irradiated (<65kGy) are safe
• 1983 - FDA approved irradiation of Spices
Current Uses of IR
• Medical/Pharmaceutical Products
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Airways and tubes
Alcohol wipes
Bandages
Blood
Contact Lenses
Cotton Balls
Dental anchors, burrs and sponges
Drug mixing/dispensing systems
More...
– Enzymes
– Eye droppers and
ointments
– Fetal Probes
– Instruments
– IV Administration sets
– Liquid detergents
– Lubrication gels
– OR towels
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Petri dishes
Prostheses
Surgical Gloves
Surgical gowns
Sutures
Syringes and needles
Thermometers/covers
Tongue Depressors
Topical Ointments
Consumer Products ...
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Adhesive bandages
Animal vaccines
Baby bottle nipples
Contact lens cleaning
solutions
• Cosmetics
• Dairy and Juice
containers
• Disposable nurser
bottles
• Food packaging
• Pacifiers and teething
rings
• Pet food
• Rawhide dog toys
• Tampons
Current Food Applications
• Spices, Herbs, Dehydrated Vegetables and
Seasoning Mixtures
• Strawberries
• Papayas
• Mangos
• Poultry
• Mushrooms
Spices, Herbs, Dehydrated Vegetables &
Seasoning Mixtures Irradiated in N. America
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Millions of pounds
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Why are we interested in Meat
Irradiation?
• E. coli and other pathogens
• can’t eliminate with multiple hurdles
– HACCP
– intervention strategy
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improved dressing procedures
close visual inspection
lactic acid rinse
hot water
steam pasteurization
Current Regulatory Changes
• 1987 - FDA approved irradiation of pork for
Trichina control (0.3-1.0 kGy)
• 1992 - FDA approved irradiation for fresh or
frozen packaged poultry to control bacteria (1.53.0 kGy)
• 1998 - FDA approved use in fresh or frozen beef
to control pathogens- (1.5 - 4.5 kGy)
• 1999 or early 2000 - USDA final rule for beef...
Levels approved for meats
• 0.3 - 1.0 kGy for control of Trichina in pork
• up to 3.0 kGy for control of pathogens in fresh
or frozen packaged poultry
• up to 4.5 kGy for pathogen control in
uncooked/refrigerated meat
• up to 7.0 kGy for pathogen control in
uncooked/frozen meat
Levels approved in other foods
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Wheat 0.2-0.5 kGy (insect disinfestation)
Potatoes 0.05-0.15 kGy (sprout inhibition)
Fruit 1 kGy max (ripening delay)
Vegetables 1 kGy max (disinfestation)
Spices 30 kGy max (microbial control)
Animal and Pet food (2-25 kGy)
(Salmonella control)
Labeling Requirement
The Radura must be on the label
Source vs. Electron Beam
• Source
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costly to build
source loses power (disposal)
worker safety and environmental concerns
better penetration (but slower)
• Electron Beam
• safer for workers and environment
• faster
• more costly to build and operate
Irradiation Facilities in Use
• 36 countries approved irradiation
– 140 irradiation facilities
– 115 for medical products
• US
• 40 irradiation facilities
• 2 for food treatment
– FOOD TECHnology Service, Plant City, FL
– Titan, Sioux City, IA (to be open soon)
Titan Plant Commitment
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IBP
Cargill (Excel)
Emmpak Foods
Hawaii Pride
Huisken Meats
Bridgeport, NJ
Dual X-Ray & E-Beam System
Wheeled Conveyor
Wheeled Conveyor
Uses and Limitations
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Use on finished, packaged product
Fresh or frozen
E-beam penetration 2 ½ - 3 inches
May have to treat both sides
Source is slower
Need to change source in 5 years
Drawbacks
• Consumer perception
– is food safe to eat
– is the environment safe
• nutrient loss
• off flavor, aroma, color
Cost:Benefit
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Costs
Benefits
Drawbacks
Dangers
Costs
• Not enough being done to get true cost
• estimated cost
– $.05 - $.10 / lb
– plus cost of transportation
– One retailer was charging a premium of $.75/lb
Public Concerns??
• Will new potentially harmful, chemical
compounds be created in irradiated foods?
• Would nutrients be lost if foods were
irradiated?
• Can unscrupulous processors use irradiation
to conceal contamination of spoiled foods?
• Will workers or others be exposed to
dangerous levels of radiation?
Human Health (potential)
• Unique radiolytic products (URP)
• Cancer
– polyploidy
• Spoiled/decaying food
• Environmental contamination
Are Consumer Concerns
Warranted?
Sensory and Physical Aspects of
Irradiated Muscle Foods
• Off-odors/off-flavors
• changes relative to dose
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< 4kGy - not detectable
4-10 kGy - sulfurous odors (wet dog hair)
pork and chicken - little off odors
minimized by irradiating at subfreezing temp.
minimized by irradiating in absence of O2
• reduces peroxides
Sensory and Physical Aspects of
Irradiated Muscle Foods
• Color changes
– raw and cured meats turn brown
– cooked meat turns pink (converts back after
exposure to oxygen)
• Dependent on dose
Reported Vitamin losses from
Irradiation
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90
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beef
pork
chicken
Vit A
B1
B2
B6
Will they buy it??
• Strawberries - 1992, over 1000 pints sold in
5 days in North Miami Beach
• Poultry - 1993, sold out of boneless breasts
in 2 days in Northbrook, IL
• Poultry - has sold irradiated poultry since
1993
What do Consumers Think?
• Gallop interview
– 54% would buy (after irradiation was explained)
• University of GA
– 45% would buy (if labeled)
– 17% would not
– 38% undecided
• Kansas State (preceded by educational material)
– 75% would buy
– 70% DID buy
• I hope this has helped you understand more
about the application of irradiation in meat.
• Thank you
• Questions?
Consumer education will work
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There is no health risk
There is no environmental risk
It will reduce pathogens
It will not replace other food safety
procedures
• Low levels will not affect palatability
• We will produce a safer product
Wheeled Conveyor
Tote System
Roller Conveyor
Single System X-Ray