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Ask HN: Why isn't radiation used to sterilize raw foods (like sashimi, eggs)?

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Re: Ask HN: Why isn't radiation used to sterilize raw foods (like sashimi, eggs)?

#21

Post by stevebmark »

version_five wrote: post #13
xilinx_guy wrote: post #2

High energy radiation breaks organic bonds all over the place, resulting in changes in color, taste, and nutrition, not to mention carcinogenic tendencies. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5820857/

Can anyone vouch for that journal "International Journal of Medical Sciences"? It seems like there's a lot of imaginary radiation==cancer stuff going around, it's not clear to me if this study is a one-of or if it's generally accepted that there is a danger. I suspect it's the former

They cite quite a few other studies. The nutrition part about rats is really interesting, I had no idea radiation had such an effect on the nutritional content of food.

Re: Ask HN: Why isn't radiation used to sterilize raw foods (like sashimi, eggs)?

#22

Post by pvaldes »

You are taking the point of view of the final user, but would be better to focus in the process.

Food workers will manipulate thousands of Kg of food each month. Even small doses of radiation from each one those packages would accumulate over time in this people, reaching a safety threshold. Radiation would be a logistic nightmare for the packaging company, requiring extensive periods of forced "holidays", healthcare checks and stopping the chain.

Plus the terrible publicity

Re: Ask HN: Why isn't radiation used to sterilize raw foods (like sashimi, eggs)?

#23

Post by _aavaa_ »

classichasclass wrote: post #15
retrac wrote: post #8

It is used, particularly with spices and fresh fruit, but sporadically for all kinds of food. As for why it's not universal: There are some concerns about radiochemical effects, mostly regarding nutritional degradation, with extremely high doses such as might be used to sterilize raw meat for storage at room temperature. While I can't source this now that I'm looking for it, I vaguely recall reading a survey about fo…

As a heavy milk drinker (I'll put away about three gallons of nonfat a week), my issue with UHT is the odd caramel taste it picks up from the heat treatment. On the other hand, my wife, who consumes way less dairy and hardly drinks milk as a beverage at all, has no problem with UHT milk pretty much anywhere I'd prefer fresh. It's been awhile since I looked at the state of irradiated milk, though I had an irradiated c…

Brown cows for chocolate milk, and glow-in-the-dark cows for irradiate milk...

But heavy is an understatement, you must be drinking milk like eastern europeans eat bread, a few pieces with every course.

Re: Ask HN: Why isn't radiation used to sterilize raw foods (like sashimi, eggs)?

#24

Post by WalterBright »

pvaldes wrote: post #22

You are taking the point of view of the final user, but would be better to focus in the process. Food workers will manipulate thousands of Kg of food each month. Even small doses of radiation from each one those packages would accumulate over time in this people, reaching a safety threshold. Radiation would be a logistic nightmare for the packaging company, requiring extensive periods of forced "holidays", healthcare…

X-rays and gamma rays do not induce radioactivity.

Re: Ask HN: Why isn't radiation used to sterilize raw foods (like sashimi, eggs)?

#27

Post by srcreigh »

chime wrote: post #19

It's not as much of a benefit as one might think because the debris will still remain in the food. Gamma rays will kill the bacteria but not remove their remnants, which can cause other issues.

What is this debris? Where can I read more about this?

Re: Ask HN: Why isn't radiation used to sterilize raw foods (like sashimi, eggs)?

#28

Post by fbdab103 »

classichasclass wrote: post #15
retrac wrote: post #8

It is used, particularly with spices and fresh fruit, but sporadically for all kinds of food. As for why it's not universal: There are some concerns about radiochemical effects, mostly regarding nutritional degradation, with extremely high doses such as might be used to sterilize raw meat for storage at room temperature. While I can't source this now that I'm looking for it, I vaguely recall reading a survey about fo…

As a heavy milk drinker (I'll put away about three gallons of nonfat a week), my issue with UHT is the odd caramel taste it picks up from the heat treatment. On the other hand, my wife, who consumes way less dairy and hardly drinks milk as a beverage at all, has no problem with UHT milk pretty much anywhere I'd prefer fresh. It's been awhile since I looked at the state of irradiated milk, though I had an irradiated c…

I am so intrigued by this. You are putting down ~1.5 liters of milk daily? Straight or as lubrication for some other dish (eg cereal)? Do you slam it all in the morning or spread throughout the day?

Edit: Do you think you have a strong stomach vs others? I had a milk-loving friend who developed kidney stones at ~25.

Re: Ask HN: Why isn't radiation used to sterilize raw foods (like sashimi, eggs)?

#29

Post by fbdab103 »

srcreigh wrote: post #27
chime wrote: post #19

It's not as much of a benefit as one might think because the debris will still remain in the food. Gamma rays will kill the bacteria but not remove their remnants, which can cause other issues.

What is this debris? Where can I read more about this?

All of the bacteria and other pathogens which were inside the food. If they are killed, they are not magically transported away. Depending upon the structural stability, there could be a lingering antigen which elicits an immune response.

Re: Ask HN: Why isn't radiation used to sterilize raw foods (like sashimi, eggs)?

#30

Post by srcreigh »

fbdab103 wrote: post #29
srcreigh wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What is this debris? Where can I read more about this?

All of the bacteria and other pathogens which were inside the food. If they are killed, they are not magically transported away. Depending upon the structural stability, there could be a lingering antigen which elicits an immune response.

Can you provide an example?
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