Chapman Gets Grant to Study Food Irradiation

The idea of exposing fresh vegetables and ready-to-eat meals to radiation may not sound appetizing, but the Irvine Health Foundation is betting that it will make food more healthful.

Researchers in Chapman University’s food science and nutrition department learned this week that the foundation has awarded them a $161,000 grant for a three-year study to determine the effects of radiation on food--a growing trend in the ready-to-eat industry.

“Food companies are becoming more and more interested in this process because they have a vested interest in making food safer,” said Anuradha Prakash, an assistant professor at Chapman and the principal investigator in the project.

Studies have shown that 6.5 million to 33 million Americans become sick each year from microorganisms that infect food, with 9,000 of these cases resulting in death, according to the foundation.

Using ionizing radiation on food has been shown to reduce bacteria, Prakash said. The study will look at how much irradiation can be used without affecting food quality.

Senior citizens will be the focus of the study because they, along with young children and others with weaker immune systems, are most susceptible to food-borne diseases.