Transcript ZAP! Dead

ZAP! Dead
Shall we return fire
on the bacteria and
viruses infecting our
food supply?
Can irradiation solve the foodborne illness
problem sweeping America?
Table of Contents
Hamilton
Mercer University – Engineering
Spring 2008
Dr. Davis
Table of Contents
Choose a subject:
Impact of Food on Society
Society’s Opinion of Food
Food Irradiation: The Facts
Types of Irradiation
So What?
Resources
Hamilton
Mercer University – Engineering
Spring 2008
Dr. Davis
The Impact of Food on Society
In the United States, nearly 200
people, most of them elderly or
children, die each week from
foodborne illnesses
Also in the United States, diseases
in food cause an estimated 76
million illnesses each year
Foodborne illnesses result in
nearly 323,000 hospitalizations
a year
These illnesses create a total bill
of $6.7 billion on the United
States as a whole
Every time we eat, we take a risk
of contracting a foodborne
illness, but this cannot and
should not keep us from eating
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Mercer University – Engineering
Spring 2008
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Dr. Davis
Future of Food in Society?
The good thing is, in the United
States, illnesses caused by
foodborne diseases have declined
23% since 1996
Can that number some day reach
100%?
Is food irradiation the key to finally
having bacteria free meat?
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Hamilton
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Mercer University – Engineering
Spring 2008
Dr. Davis
Society’s Opinion
The term “Irradiation” scares the
general public:
Irradiation = Radiation = Atomic Bomb
Society fears the damage that radiation
is known to cause to cells in living
organisms, such as themselves
=
Society also worries about having a
irradiation plant too close to where they
live
“What if the radiation leaks?”
“What if something similar to a nuclear
meltdown happens?”
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Mercer University – Engineering
Spring 2008
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Dr. Davis
Society’s Continuing Dismal Attitude
Irradiation has been approved for the
federal nutrition program in some
school systems, and frankly,
many parents don’t like the idea
of their children touching
anything even related to radiation
In many areas the irradiation of
school lunch meat has been
protested until it has been
removed
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Hamilton
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Mercer University – Engineering
Spring 2008
Dr. Davis
Food Irradiation:
The Facts
Radiation was discovered in
1896 by Atoine-Henri
Bacquerel, French physicist
A few years later, Samuel
Prescott from MIT showed
that gamma rays from
radium could kill bacteria in
food
E. Coli, salmonella, and
campylobacter are just some
of the harmful bacteria that
high energy radiation can kill
During his presidency, Bill Clinton
Above is an example picture of a food irradiation machine.
proposed a $43 million National
Notice that the food has to be sealed off from the rest of the
Food Safety Initiative which singled building before it can be dose with radiation.
out irradiation as a cutting edge
food technology
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Hamilton
Mercer University – Engineering
Spring 2008
Dr. Davis
More on Food Irradiation
Some hospitals serve irradiated food
to patients who have weakened
immune systems
Astronauts have been eating irradiated
food while on their missions since the
Apollo 17 launch in 1972
In 1921, scientists in U.S.D.A.
reported that irradiation would kill
trichinae in pork products. Since then,
food irradiation has been evaluated as
a way to kill microbes in food.
The “Radura” Logo
This symbol has been required on all irradiated meat
sold in stores since 1992 by the FSIS (Food Safety
and Inspection Service)
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Will it taste the same?
Irradiation kills all microorganism, bacteria,
mold, and insects still living in food
In raw meat, irradiation can double the shelflife
Irradiation causes less damage to vitamins and
minerals than cooking alone
Changes in color, smell, and taste mainly
occur in foods such as raw meat
If the meat about to be irradiated, is frozen
before-hand and kept in a oxygen free
environment, these changes are minimal
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Spring 2008
Dr. Davis
Types of Irradiation
Gamma Rays:
Are emitted by either radioactive
cobalt or cesium
Have a long half-life
Must be stored in a pool of water
that absorbs irradiation, when not
in use, “turning the rays off”
Can deeply penetrate food, making
bulk treatment possible
Food can even be irradiated while
still in the crate
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Hamilton
Mercer University – Engineering
Spring 2008
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Dr. Davis
Types of Irradiation
Electron Beams (Beta
Beams):
Are emitted from an
electron gun, such
as one found in a
television only more
powerful
Penetrates only a
few cm of food
Can be switched off
while not in use
No radioactivity is
involved
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Types of Irradiation
X-irradiation:
Is the most recently developed
Produces x-rays by making an
electron beam hit a metal foil target
Penetrates deeper than electron
beams and requires more shielding
and insulation
Also has the ability to be switched off
at will
Also does not have a radioactive
source
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Dr. Davis
So What?
Irradiation can be used to nearly rid foodborne illnesses from society
Irradiation has little to no affect on aspects of food such as color,
smell, and taste
Two of the three forms of irradiation do not come from a radioactive
source
Irradiation is considered safe by most scientists and has been in use
in many government run organizations, such as NASA for over 25
years
Irradiation nearly doubles the shelf-life of food
The question is: “Is society willing to accept ‘irradiation’, a term so
close the familiar ‘radiation’, as a possible freedom from foodborne
illness?”
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Hamilton
Mercer University – Engineering
Spring 2008
Dr. Davis
Resources
Hosansky, D (2002 November 1). Food safety: Is our food as safe as it could be?. CQ Researcher, 12, Retrieved March
15, 2008, from http://library.cqpress.com.tarverproxy.mercer.edu/cqresearcher/document.php?id=cqresrre2002110100&type=hitlist&num=0
Skerrett, P. J. (1997, November). Food irradiation: Will it keep the doctors away?. Technology Review, Retrieved March
15, 2008, from http://www.technologyreview.com/Biotech/11621/
Belli, B. Nuking food: Contamination fears and market possibilities spur at irradiation revival. E Magazine, Retrieved
March 15, 2008, from http://www.emagazine.com/view/?3790
Mikhail, M. (2003, December, 06). Irradiated meat: A sneak attack on school lunches. Weston A. Price Foundation,
Retrieved March 15, 2008, from http://www.westonaprice.org/modernfood/irradiatedmeat.html
Tauxe, R. V. (2003, April, 21). Food safety and irradiation: Protecting the public from foodborne infections. Center for
Disease Control, Retrieved March 15, 2008, from http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol7no3_supp/tauxe.htm
Brown, J. Lynne (2002). What Does Irradiation Do to Food?. Penn State, Retrieved March 15, 2008, from
http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/freepubs/pdfs/uk107.pdf
Pictures:
http://www.chazography.com/wp-content/uploads/12-09-2005_raygun.jpg
http://www.beefretail.org/uDocs/1369T-Bone%20Steak.jpg
http://images.ibsys.com/2002/0710/1552804.jpg
http://whyfiles.org/020radiation/images/mushroom.jpg
http://ccr.ucdavis.edu/irr/what2.shtml
http://blogs.menupages.com/boston/Steak.gif
http://www.aboutnuclear.org/i/food/radura.gif
http://www.crou-ems.eu.dodea.edu/images/lunch.jpg
www.stoptheride.net/2007_07_01_archive.html
http://www.twi.co.uk/j32k/twiimages/eb_equipf1.jpg
http://www.ashaindustries.com/images/asha-2.jpg
Hamilton
First
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