International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Research Applications and Utilization of Accelerators

4-8 May 2009, Vienna

SM/EB-06

E-beam Processing for Food Preservation in Brazil

A.L.C.H. Villavicencio, M.M. Araújo, P.V. Silva, and G.B. Fanaro

Instituto de Pesquisas Energèticas e Nucleares, IPEN-CNEN/SP, Centro de Tecnologia das Radiações, São Paulo, Brazil

Corresponding Author: villavic@ipen.br

Food irradiation is a well known process in which food products are exposed to a controlled amount of ionizing radiation to kill harmful microorganisms, to delay ripening and also to inhibit sprouting. During last years the demand for this technology had increased in order to reduce losses all along food chain supply. E-beam processing trends to be the future’s choice, once besides the possibility of being disconnected when not in use, is easily available, does not need reloading and streamlines the process, reducing logistics costs. In Brazil, the use of this technology is gaining importance day by day, mainly due to the necessity of food industry on guarantee food assurance and enhances its shelf-life. Although only few industries has already installed e-beam accelerators to its processing systems and also not many provides irradiation services to local companies, this scenery trends to change due to knowledge diffusion, high cost effectiveness relationship and government support.