Irradiation technology improves food safety

On April 22, the Hanoi Irradiation Centre placed into operation an upgrade to its facilities that will help ensure harmful bacteria and pathogens such as E coli 0157:H7 and salmonella are killed on even the most delicate vegetables.

The new process will also help extend the shelf life of foods in the bargain, said Dang Quang Thieu, director of the Centre.

Mr Thieu said irradiation technology has been used effectively for years to protect ground meat, vegetables and other products by essentially pasteurizing the food without cooking it or causing undesirable changes in product quality.

It’s done by applying a higher dose than is used for medical X-ray imaging, yet less than harmful levels of some irradiation methods.

“The problem the leafy green industry is confronted with is that there is absolutely no kill step in the process of cleaning, rinsing and bagging the product. There is nothing the industry can do,” explained Mr Thieu.

At the launching ceremony, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Tran Viet Thanh presented a certificate to the Centre for its contributions to the field of atomic energy over the past few years.