According to federal minister Jitendra Singh, 25 food irradiation facilities are operational in the country in private, semi-government and government sector. Singh said the irradiation technology used for food preservation includes disinfestation of insect pests in stored products as well as fresh produce, delay in ripening and senescence in fruits and vegetables, inhibition of sprouting in tubers, bulbs and rhizomes, decontamination of microbes responsible for food spoilage, and elimination of parasites and pathogens of public health importance in food.
He added that quarantine treatment of agri-produce including fruits and vegetables can be achieved with irradiation which is a mandatory phytosanitary requirement for exporting the agricultural produce to many countries. “India has been exporting radiation processed mangoes to the US since 2007. Now export to Australia and Malaysia has also started."
The minister said that the irradiation technology offers broad spectrum of socio-economic and business benefits.
Source: livemint.com