Iran to use food irradiation tech for first time

The head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) announced on Wednesday that the organization has plans underway to irradiate agricultural products for the first time ever.

“This is a significant step forward for the organization and that he hopes it will have a positive impact on the lives of Iranians”, Mohammad Eslami said.

He added that this technology will help extend the shelf life of food and reduce food waste.

Food irradiation is a processing and preservation technique with similar results to freezing or pasteurization. During this procedure, the food is exposed to doses of ionizing energy, or radiation. At low doses, irradiation extends a product’s shelf life. At higher doses, this process kills insects, molds, bacteria and other potentially harmful micro-organisms.

Considerable scientific research over the past five decades indicates that food irradiation is a safe and effective form of processing. Food irradiation has been approved in 40 countries including Australia, the United States, Japan, China, France and Holland.