In this first instalment, the properties of various kinds of ionizing radiation are described. With the discovery of radioactivity, assessment of the effects of ionizing radiation on humans became an issue. The authors present principal units used in dosimetry: gray for absorbed dose units, curie and röntgen for exposure to radiation, and also the measurements of ionizing radiation dose rates.
Investigations are conducted searching for new thermal and non thermal methods of fixing food on account of the increasing consumer interest for natural and partially processed food products. One of the best known unconventional methods of preservation is the radiation process. Ionizing radiation is being used for the reduction of microbiological contamination and extension of food freshness. Furthermore, for the majority of food products the process does not influence their chemical composition nor does it lower their nutritional value. These methods are becoming more frequently used in many countries because of their benefits stemming from the improvement of safety aspects of food products.