Question

Does food irradiation leave the food radioactive? To what extent is the food altered chemically for low and high doses in food irradiation?

a) Yes, food becomes radioactive; low doses have minimal chemical alteration.

b) No, food does not become radioactive; low doses cause significant chemical alteration.

c) Yes, food becomes radioactive; high doses cause significant chemical alteration.

d) No, food does not become radioactive; high doses have minimal chemical alteration.

Answer 1

Food irradiation does not make food radioactive; low doses have minimal chemical alteration, while high doses can lead to significant changes such as nutrient and vitamin loss, as well as taste alterations.

Step-by-step explanation:

Food irradiation does not leave the food radioactive. The correct answer to the question is: b) No, food does not become radioactive; low doses cause significant chemical alteration. When food is exposed to ionizing radiation, it produces a variety of chemical changes due to the formation of free radicals and other reactive molecules, but this does not make the food itself radioactive.

At low doses of irradiation (up to 1000 Gy), the chemical alterations in the food are minimal and not chemically measurable, and the food quality remains largely unchanged. However, higher doses of irradiation can lead to significant chemical alterations in foods, such as a loss of about 15% of nutrients and 25% of vitamins, along with changes in taste.