Final answer:
Yes, chemical changes can occur during food irradiation, resulting in the formation of radiolytic products. Low-level irradiation produces such changes in undetectable amounts without observable short-term effects, while high-level irradiation leads to measurable nutrient and vitamin losses.
Step-by-step explanation:
Chemical changes can occur during food irradiation. The process involves ionization which leads to the formation of broken molecules and ions, including free radicals. These free radicals can cause rapid chemical reactions, resulting in the production of various compounds called radiolytic products.
For low-level food irradiation, these compounds are produced in such small quantities that they cannot be measured chemically, and no observable negative short-term effects have been reported in consumers. In contrast, high-level irradiation leads to more significant chemical changes that can be chemically measured, including nutrient and vitamin loss, and changes in taste.
It is important to note that food irradiation has been endorsed by important health organizations and is deemed safe, having no observed negative long-term health effects from consumption of irradiated food up to a million rad. Nonetheless, safety assessments must balance potential hazards against benefits in food production and preservation, as well as against hazards from alternative methods like insecticides and food preservatives.