• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.137-148
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• 1987

The wholesomeness studies on irradiated foods and the evaluation of the data obtained have been conducted at both national and international levels. The conclusion of the FAO/IAEA/WHO Expert Committee on Wholesomeness of Irradiated Food in 1980 that irradiated foods treated with doses up to 10 kGy are safe for human consumption are being significantly influencing on the regulatory circumstances, in individual countries as well as a regional economic community. Principles of the wholesomeness evaluation, importance of radiation chemical considerations, methodology of toxicological testing and the interpretation of in vitro and in vivo toxicity studies are discussed. Emphasis is placed on the progress of methods for wholesomeness studies and data evaluations and also on the importance e of comparative assessments together with safety problems concerning other food treatments and environmental factors.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.1060-1063
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• 2003

Electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy was used to investigate the effects of irradiation doses and storage times on three spices. Three imported spices (Brassica juncea, Origanum vulgare, Laurus nobilis) were irradiated with doss of 0, 1, 5 and 10 kGy using a Co-60 irradiator at room temperature. ESR signals were measured from each sample by a Bruker-EPR spectrometer. The gamma-irradiated Brassica and Laurus nobilis exhibited characteristic signals, which were different from those of the non-irradiated ones. Non-irradiated and irradiated Origanum vulgare exhibited single lines, with higher ESR signals in irradiated sample than in non-irradiated sample. The ESR signals increased linearly with increasing irradiation doses $(1{\sim}10kGy)$. A strong positive correlation coefficient $(R^2=0.9939{\sim}0.9993)$ was obtained between the irradiation doses and the corresponding ESR signal intensities. Although the ESR signal intensities decreased with storage time, signals from the three irradiated spices were observed even after 12 weeks of storage at room temperature.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.1002-1006
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• 2002

Germination method was used to screen the biological changes in soybean, kidney bean, and red bean caused by gamma irradiation. Beans were irradiated at 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, and 1.0 kGy. Ten beans of each sample were placed on moistened cotton and germinated at $30{\circ}C$. The root lengths were measured daily for 5 days. Root lengths of all beans grew continuously for 5 days, but the growth rate of irradiated beans decreased significantly from fourth day. Unirradiated beans showed the highest growth rate during 5 days of germination. Gamma-irradiated beans could be screened by measuring the daily growth rate and root length during germination.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.531-537
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• 2000

The simple microgel electrophoresis of single cells, a 'comet assay', on fruit seeds enabled the rapid identification of irradiated fruits by comparing the intact non-irradiated cells and the damaged cells of irradiated fruits. Grapes and plums were irradiated with 0.1, 0.5, 0.7, 1.0 kGy and strawberries, peaches, apples, and nectarines were irradiated with only 1.0 kGy. Seeds were isolated, crushed, and the suspended cells were embedded in an agarose layer. After lysis of the cells, they were subjected to microgel electrophoresis for 2 minutes, and then stained. The DNA radiation-induced fragmentation of all the fruits stretched and migrated out of the cells forming a tail toward the anode giving the appearance of a comet, while the undamaged cells appeared as intact nuclei without tails. Grape and plum seeds irradiated at 0.5 kGy and higher showed significant increases in tail length. With increasing the irradiation doses, longer extention of the DNA from the nucleus toward the anode was observed. Strawberry, peach, apple, and nectarine seeds irradiated with 1.0 kGy also showed the longer tails than non-irradiated ones. DNA comet assay as a rapid and inexpensive screening technique could be an officially validated method for the detection of irradiated fruits.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.29-33
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• 2005

To facilitate establishing regulations for irradiated foods, Korean traditional soybean-based fermented powdered doenjang (PD), kanjang (PK), kochujang (PKC) and chungkukjang (PC) were irradiated at 1, 3, 5 and 7 kGy, and subjected to irradiation detection analyses as part of establishing a database for detecting irradiated foods. Photostimulated luminescence (PSL) and electron spin resonance (ESR) were applied as the detection methods. Using PSL analysis, the irradiated PD, PK and PKC could be easily distinguished from the non-irradiated ones, while irradiation of the PC at 5 kGy or higher was detectable. The ESR spectra of the irradiated PD, PK and PKC exhibited symmetrical multiplet lines, which might be induced from the crystalline sugar, whereas, the PC showed a single signal at the paramagnetic centers. The signal intensity increased with incremental increases of irradiation doses distinguishing the irradiated samples from the control. In addition, the peak height also revealed that irradiation induced an increment in the intensity of single and/or multiplet lines of the ESR signals, resulting in clear confirmation of irradiation. Thus, the data from this study could be used as references for detecting irradiated soybean-based fermented powdered sauces.

• Current Research on Agriculture and Life Sciences
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2013

The exposure of food to ionizing radiation has been recognized as a safe and effective mode of food preservation in more than 55 countries. The benefits include eradication of insect pests, inactivation of food pathogens, extension of shelf-life, and improvement in food hygiene. Regulatory authorities around the world have emphasized the implementation of various national and international regulations to facilitate trade and development of consumers' confidence in purchasing irradiated foods. Therefore, the need for reliable irradiation detection methods has increased to enforce these regulations. At present, a number of promising analytical approaches have been developed and evaluated. Moreover, about 10 European Standards have been adopted as General CODEX Alimentarius methods for the detection of irradiated foodstuffs. However, most of these methods demand relatively expensive equipment and prolonged sample preparation. Therefore, simple and cost-effective approaches would be advantageous for rapid screening of foodstuffs. The suspected samples need to be analyzed further with more validated techniques to confirm the screening results. In this review, existing screening methods (i.e. physical, chemical, and biological) for the identification of irradiated foods have been outlined along with their principles, scopes and limitations.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.606-611
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• 1999

To identify irradiated foods, studies have been carried out with electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy on bone containing foods, such as chicken, pork, and beef. Bones cleaned, pieced and dried were irradiated with doses of 0, 1, 3, 5 kGys using a $Co^{60}$ irradiator. The bones were placed in a resonant quartz tube with an internal diameter of about 4.0 mm within the Bruker Win-ESR spectrometer, and the intensity of the ESR signal could be quantified by double integration of the first derivative spectrum. The irradiated bone presented an asymmetric absorption in shape, different from that of an unirradiated one. It could be possible to detect at doses lower than 1 kGy below the dose employed commercially (3 kGy) in the case of irradiated chicken bone. The signal intensity was greatest in the beef bone, intermediate in the pork bone and lowest in the chicken bone; it was normally lower for smaller animals than for larger species, and small variations were observed between samples of the same species. The intensity of the signal induced in bones increased linearly with irradiation doses in the range of 1.0 kGy to 5.0 kGy, and it was possible to distinguish between samples given low and high doses of irradiation. The signal stability for 6 weeks made them ideal for the quick and easy identification of irradiated meats.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.26-34
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• 2020

Background: We examined changes in red ginseng components after different doses of irradiation were applied. We also evaluated what housewives and teachers know about irradiated food, as well as their perceptions of and attitudes toward it. Materials and Methods: General nutrients and unique components of irradiated ginseng were then analyzed. Education on irradiated foods and red ginseng was provided to teachers and housewives on two occasions, and changes in their behaviors were evaluated via a qualitative survey. Results and Discussion: The ideal radiation dose to reduce the number of bacteria without changing the unique components of red ginseng is 7.5 kGy. Notably, after educational seminars on this topic, consumers' knowledge, attitudes toward, and perceptions of irradiated ginseng compared to non-irradiated red ginseng changed significantly. Conclusion: It is necessary to provide consumers with information on irradiated foods to promote the growth of the domestic food industry, and to improve public knowledge of the safety and effects associated with the irradiation of food.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.380-384
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• 2002

For the screening of gamma-irradiated grains, domestic rice, glutinous rice, barley, and wheat were irradiated with 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, and 1.0 kGy and screened using the DEFT/APC (Direct Epifluorescent Filter Technique/Aerobic Plate Count) method. The log DEFT/APT units increased with the dose increment in all samples, whereas the log APC unit decreased gradually. For rice, barley, and wheat, unirradiated and irradiated samples with below 0.3 kGy had 2.0 or lower logarithmic units, whereas those with 0.5 kGy or higher had 2.0 or higher logarithmic units. For glutinous rice, the sample irradiated with 0.5 kGy showed 1.92 logarithmic unit and those with 0.7 kGy or higher had 2.0 or higher logarithmic units. These results suggest that if the grains show 2.0 or higher logarithmic units, they could be assumed to have been irradiated at a dose level of at least 0.5 kGy. In conclusion, grains could be easily screened through the DEFT/APC method.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.275-291
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• 1998

Food irradiation is an emerging technology which offers many advantages such as reduction of microorganisms, extension of shelf-life of foods, reduction in the use of post-harvest chemicals, and destruction of insects and parasites. The commercial utilization of food irradiation, however, has been restricted because of the uncertainty of consumers' responses to it. Because success of food irradiation in the marketplace will depend upon their acceptability by consumers, this study focused on the consumers' perception and acceptance toward food irradiation in order to get basic data for commercial utilization of food irradiation and give information to consumers to help rational consumption behavior. The survey with 411 respondents living in Youngnam area was conducted during the spring of 1997 by the questionnaires. The results and implications from this study are as follows. First, consumers' knowledge about food irradiation is scanty. Two-thirds of respondents in the survey had not heard of irradiated foods and many people confused irradiation with radioactivity. In the willingness to accept food irradiation, one-third of respondents showed a wait-and-see attitude. This result indicated consumers had insufficient information about the irradiation process and nationwide education of food irradiation technology should be undertaken. Second, although the purchase and use of food are very important consumption behaviors, consumer education by mass communication has been rarely done. For the successful commercialization of food irradiation, the information provision by mass communication for the consumers should be made. Third, consumers generally worried about residual pesticide and intended to purchase irradiated foods if radioactivity was not retained in the foods. Therefore, food irradiation could be an alternative method to the use of pesticide Fourth, consumers pointed out that they wanted to extend shelf-life of milk and dairy foods, fish and seafood and to irradiate these foods. Therefore, research for the safety of irradiated foods should be continually conducted. finally, labeling for irradiated foods is needed to provide the information and to further increase public understanding. Especially, the labeling should show the definite reason why irradiation is being used. In conclusion, recently, under the circumstances that the commercial utilization of food irradiation and irradiation for the import and export products have been increased in many countries, many efforts are needed to improve the quality of irradiated foods, and prove the safety of them in Korea. In addition, consumer education for food irradiation should be given to help consumers to make decision for food purchase and use.