Final answer:
The FDA has approved the irradiation of various foods since 1963, including various meats, shellfish, fruits, vegetables, and spices. Foods must display a radura symbol when irradiated, and various doses are used depending on the organisms targeted, with no food becoming radioactive as a result.
Step-by-step explanation:
Since 1963, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved food irradiation as a safe and effective method to treat a variety of foods. This technology has been used to destroy insects and bacteria, create free radicals, and generate radiolytic products that can break apart cell membranes, thus enhancing food safety without leaving the food radioactive.
The FDA has approved the irradiation of meats such as beef, pork, and chicken, as well as shrimp, lobster, shellfish, fresh fruits, vegetables, eggs with shells, and spices. Foods that have been irradiated must display the radura symbol on their packaging. In terms of dosages, up to 1000 Gray (Gy) may be applied to fresh fruits and vegetables, which is considered a low dose, while higher doses, sometimes greater than 10,000 Gy, are needed to kill tougher microbes like salmonella and fungi.