• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.294-301
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• 2011

The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in identification markers of irradiated foods after treatment of the full-overlapped gravitational field energy (FGFE). Wheat and soybean samples were irradiated at 0-5 kGy of Co-60 gamma energy, and analyzed for photostimulated and thermo luminescence characteristics (PSL and TL) and sprouting rate at 0 and 6th month after FGFE treatment. As a screening method for irradiated samples, PSL photon counts (PCs) for the non-irradiated samples appeared negative (<700 PCs), while irradiated samples gave positive (>5,000 PCs). But FGFE-treated irradiated samples appeared intermediate (700-5,000 PCs), showing decreased PCs during storage. The TL analysis on irradiated samples exhibited glow curve peaks in range of $150-200^{\circ}C$ and TL ratio ($TL_1/TL_2$) was also >0.1. Therefore, identification of irradiated samples was possible using thermoluminescence. But the glow curve range of FGFE-treated irradiated samples shifted from $150-200^{\circ}C$ to $180-230^{\circ}C$ and TL intensity was decreased 37-60% resulting from FGFE treatment. After 6 months of storage, all the samples showed a decrease in TL intensity, but identification was still possible. The sprouting rate of irradiated samples decreased by about 72%, whereas that of FGFE-treated irradiated samples showed by about 85%, as compared to non-irradiated samples. More detailed study is required to investigate sprouting phenomena for FGFE-treated samples.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.233-246
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• 2012

In this study, we investigated the applicability of the photostimulated luminescence(PSL), thermoluminescence(TL) and electron spin resonance(ESR) methods for various foods which are not allowed to be irradiated in Korea. All 15 foods including sesame, almond, peanut, cocoa powder etc. were analyzed. Samples were irradiated at 1~10 kGy using a $^{60}Co$ gamma-ray irradiator. In PSL study, the photon counts of all the unirradiated samples showed negative(lower than 700). The photon counts irradiated(1 kGy) dried shrimp, roasted peanut and seasoned peanut showed positive(higher than 5,000) and the other samples were negative or intermediate(> 700 and < 5,000). In TL analysis, results showed that it is possible to apply TL method to all foods containing minerals. In ESR measurements, the ESR signal(single-line) intensity of irradiated foods was higher than non-irradiated foods. In particular, the specific ESR signals of irradiation-induced crystalline sugar, cellulose and bone radical were detected in dried plum, raisin, dried cherry, mango(dried, frozen), rambutan, cocoa(powder), cinnamon, parsley, carrot, broccoli, dried arrow squid, dried pollack and dried shrimp. According to the results, PSL, TL and ESR methods were successfully applied to detect the irradiated foods because TL method is not able to detect the irradiated foods rarely composed of minerals. ESR is also a difficult method to detect the changes of ESR signal patterns of food. It is concluded that TL analysis or ESR assay is suitable for detection of irradiated samples and a combined method is recommendable for enhancing the reliability of detection results.