Many countries, including USA and EU, are irradiating imported spices for causing microbial safety. In recent times, many Indian spice exporters have been getting export orders for irradiated spices from Taiwan, South Korea and the UK and it is certain now that in the coming years irradiated spices will figure in increasing quantities in our export trade.

India is one of the major exporters of spices, frozen sea food and agricultural products, among other items. With over 190 million tonnes of annual production, it is alsoone of the largest producers of fruits. During 1997-98, India exported 2,18,750 tonnes of spices valued at Rs 1,352.15 crore. This is about 5-8 per cent of the total production of spices, barring pepper 60-70 per cent of which is exported.

The radiation processing has definite economic role to play in food preservation industries in developed and developing countries. The possible application of food irradiation in developing countries belong to improvement of the hygienic quality of foods when no other methods are available to achieve this purpose, replacement of chemical treatments, improvement of shelf life of certain fruits, improvement of sensory quality, potential application to a quarantine treatment.

As per the government's approved list of food items, there are 16 items on which the irradiation technology can be used. These are: onion, potatoes, spices, rice, semolina (sooji or rawa), atta, maida, raisins, dried figs, dried dates, mango, ginger, garlic, shallots (small onions) and chicken. Thespice industry has been using ethylene oxide (ETO) fumigation to achieve microbial quality standards of importing countries. The ban on the use of ETO by European Union (EU) countries and Japan and the phasing out of ETO by 2000 in other countries have created an urgent need for an alternate processes. Most heat treatment in batch processes though effective in reducing microbial load, is not applicable to spice powders and prepackaged products, and result in natural aroma.

With indigenous capabilities of fabricating irradiators at Board of Radiation and Isotope Technology (BRIT) and a Microton Electron Beam Accelerator at Centre for Advanced Technology (CAT) and Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), will provide opportunities to industries to enter into new era of food preservation.

Two research and development irradiation facilities, i.e. Food Package Irradiator in Food Technology Division, BARC and another at Defence Laboratory, Jodhpur, have been licenced for irradiating food items which have beencleared for consumption and domestic trade. These authorised facilities are now available for irradiation of limited food items for market tests and survey of consumer response.

A prototype commercial demonstration irradiator with an initial throughput of 20 tonnes per day for treatment of spices is under construction in Vashi, Navi Mumbai under the management of BRIT. This facility is expected to become operational by end 1998. A POTON irradiator for the treatment of onions and potatoes at a throughput of 10 tonnes per hour is also under development at BARC. This first prototype commercial demonstration irradiator for onions and potatoes will be located in Lasalgaon, Nashik. This is expected to be operational in next two-to-three years. The Centre for Advanced Technology (CAT) has developed a microton electron beam accelerator, which can be used for irradiation of certain food irradiation application. These demonstration type irradiation facilities will certainly help to establish commercial irradiatorsfor treatment food in the private sector.

Public perception and industry response to food irradiation

To what extent food irradiation will be commercially, used, does not depend on further research, but it primarily will depend on public acceptance of the process. Primary objectives of application of food irradiation in India are to curtail enormous food losses, provide microbiologically safe food to domestic population and improve export potential of food adhering stringent quality measures imposed by the imparting countries.

Public perception to acceptance of irradiated food however, will influence industrial response to this technology. Consumer survey and market tests conducted in USA, China and other countries have definitely proved that consumers education for removing false ideas and psychological barrier about food irradiation plays vital role for acceptance of irradiated food.

There is ample evidence that initially reluctant consumers when provided basic knowledge of the process do notgrumble to accept the irradiated food.

Another important observation is about labelling. In USA the primary radiation of spices, FDA's labelling requirements are mandatory. When the same spices are used for secondary processing where irradiated spices are used as one of the ingredients labelling is not mandatory. Such products are readily accepted.

Two types of consumer resistance to food irradiation have been noticed in the USA. One group opposes anything related to nuclear techniques. The number of such persons are minimum, while the other group opposes food irradiation due to ignorance and inadequate knowledge about the process and this group improve its perception about acceptance of irradiated food after receiving true and fair knowledge of the process.

In India, response to tasting of irradiated foods conducted in Mumbai at several seminars organised by professional bodies and seminars for specific target groups like university students, university and school teachers, officers and staff of ArmySupply Depot, Mumbai and consumer and food industry groups have shown excellent positive response to consume snack items made from irradiated onions, potatoes and spices.

The Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has conducted, `Ahar Utsavs' with irradiated foods to defence personnel and families all over India at several locations with great success. BARC staff employees have been readily buying snack items made from irradiated potatoes and onions made available through staff canteens.

(The author is from the Food Technology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai. His views have been excerpted from a paper he presented at `National Conference on Public Perception on Benefits of Nuclear Energy in Healthcare, Industry and Agriculture' delivered last month at the Ninth Annual Conference of Indian Nuclear Society)