ESR as a Technique for Food Irradiation Detection

Known pathogens account for an estimated 14 million cases of food-borne illnesses, resulting in more than 60,000 hospitalizations and 1800 deaths annually in the United States [1]. Important sources of food-borne pathogens include contaminated produce and improperly cooked, handled, or stored food products. Despite important efforts of the food industry, preventable illnesses, and related deaths resulting from the consumption of contaminated foods are still on the rise. Food irradiation is gaining interest in light of this increasing incidence of food-borne diseases in the last decades, as it efficiently reduces the populations of pathogens such as

Salmonella, Listeria, Campylobacter, E. coli

0157:H7, and others, but also of parasites and insects [2-4]. The process has been endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Codex Alimentarius Commission, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), the American Medical Association, the American Dietetic Association, the American Institute of Food Technologists, and health authorities of approximately 50 countries [5-7]. The list of irradiated products allowed for irradiation varies from one country to another but is often limited to spices, herbs, seasonings, some fresh or dried fruits and vegetables, seafoods, ground beef meat, and poultry [6].