Food for thought

The plant has been designed by the Board of Radiation and Isotope Technology BRIT, a unit of the Department of Atomic Energy. Built at a cost of Rs 3 crore and after three years of actual construction backed by 8220;three decades of Ramp;D8221; including that of the radiation-related departments of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre BARC, the plant hopes to radiation-process 3,000 tonnes of a variety of spices per year. The unit is designed to irradiate spices 30 tonnes of spices per day heremetically and seal them impermeably in boxes.

However, the launch is bound to intensify the debate over the safety factor of irradiated foods, with protagonists on either side drawing largely from the American experience. Surprisingly, one of the studies that figured in the US Congressional hearings as far back as in 1987 was conducted by the National Institute of Nutrition, NIN Hyderabad.

The early 80s saw USA8217;s FDA approving irradiation of food products. However, the approval was shrouded in controversy, with activists of the Organic Consumers Association claiming that the approval was based on just five studies of a total 441 animal-feeding studies. The facts were brought out at the Congressional hearing, where experts testified that there was no scientific proof that food irradiation was safe; on the contrary, studies confirmed that it caused identifiable harm. The organisation also pointed out that there was not enough evidence that a long-term diet of irradiated foods is safe for human health. The longest human studies extended to just 15 weeks.

Dr S. G. Srikantia, former director of NIN and later professor of food and nutrition at the University of Mysore, testified before the Congress in 1987 that the NIN study conducted in 1973 itself at the request of the Indian government8217;s health ministry showed that normal monkeys and undernourished children fed diets containing freshly irradiated wheat showed elevated level of polyploid cells, i.e. cells with chromosomal abnormalities. Others eminent American scientists underscored that irradiation changes the nature of food by adding molecules to it and effecting complex changes.

Despite these studies, the Indian government has permitted food irradiation. Dr Vijaya Venkat, a Mumbai-based health care activist, called the development 8220;sad8221; and said a group of 8220;organised and powerful persons8221; were misleading the government and the public 8220;in the name of science8221;.However, chairman and chief executive of BRIT, Dr S Gangadharan, scoffed at the idea that radiation processing would leave residual radioactivity in the processed foods. Gangadharan said that cobalt 60 emitted two types of gamma rays with power of just 1.33 and 1.17 MeV respectively. 8220;Cobalt 60 is incapable of producing radioactivity because the rays do not have the power to knock on nucleons. Even after radiation-processing for 30 or more years there was no chance of producing a radioactive isotope,8221; he stated.

Dr B. K. Subba Rao joined issue, saying, 8220;Dr Gangadharan8217;s assertions hide more than what they reveal.8221; Explaining that the thesis sold by the Indian nuclear establishment that low-level radiation does no harm is now a myth, he said recent studies show that changes in genetic code occur after long exposure to irradiation, however low. This is confirmed by the 1973 NIN study.

Dr Rao noted that in the life processes of various organisms, about 30 different elements play a part including hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, sodium, phosphorous, sulphur and iodine. These are present in different degrees in the food items slated for irradiation by gamma rays coming from Cobalt-60. In principle, any of the elements being subjected to gamma radiation in ionised form to different degrees can be a source of radiation, however low the level.

Rao said the model used by the nuclear establishment to calculate the health effects of radiation is a physics model developed in the 1920s, when DNA was not even discovered. In the old model, the dose is simply calculated in terms of absorption of energy. Recent findings suggest that low radiation affects cells which are under replication and even changes the genetic code. 8220;Either they are unaware of this, or they are deliberately suppressing facts to further their own ends,8221; he stated.

Gangadharan retorted that adequate studies on the effects of life-long diet of irradiated foods are yet to emerge. To err on the side of 8220;abundant caution8221; would mean that the technology would remain unutilised and India would miss out on export earnings. When told that some European countries insisted on non-irradiated products, Gangadharan said, 8220;That is not because of safety concerns. It is because they wanted to irradiate the products themselves.8221;

Gangadharan pointed out that even the International Organisation of Consumer Unions had accepted that radiation-processing of spices as a method which was indespensible, at least for the present. 8220;Note, the at least for the present8217;,8221; said Gangadharan, 8220;Ten years later we may have new technology, but now it is unavoidable.8221; Given reasonable safety projections, incomplete research in extended areas cannot be an excuse for withholding technology, he argued. Anyway, he said the consumer has a choice because under the Prevention of food Adulteration Act Rules, 1995, it was compulsory for irradiated food to be labelled.

Gangadharan said the cost escalation of radiation processed foods would be negligible since it cost only Re 1 per kilo for processing. On whether radiation of processed foods would react with plastic, he said that PVC would definitely cause harm, though BRIT is working to overcome even that.One of the many attacks against radiation processing is that it damages the quality of food. Among other things, there is loss of nutrients 8212; vitamins A, C, E, K and B complex 8212; to the extent of 5 to 80 per cent. Gangadharan admitted to nutrient loss, but denied that the loss was to the extent of 80 per percent. 8220;Five to 10 per cent loss, yes,8221; he said, suggesting that to overcome this, overages of vitamins could be added to irradiated products.

As for taste, Gangadharan replied that menus which included irradiated potatoes and onions like bhajiyas were being offered at BRIT, BARC and SNDT university canteens for years now. Customers were informed of the radiation, he clarified. 8220;Unless we scientists eat them first, how will others follow suit?8221; he asked, smiling.