Re: Food Irradiationn Question

["H. G Claycamp" <hgc2+@pitt.edu>]

On Thu, 5 Nov 1998, Melissa Woo wrote:

> 
> I've been out of the seed irradiation field for a number of years,
> but I recall a number of papers which found that dessicated seeds can
> trap free radicals for very long periods of time.  Upon rehydration,
> recombination of the free radicals can occur at a much faster rate.
> 
>
	My apologies for more sarcasm than science...I have no doubt that
a dessicated seed might have harbor reasonably long-lived radicals--as
long as the seed remains dessicated.  However, toxicology happens at the
target cells in
tissues.  We ingest all the radicals we want, but if they don't survive to
the targets, what's the impact on health?

	B.T.W.  SOme of the spicy-ness of freshly ground black pepper is
believe due to the burst of radical activity upon crushing.  I wonder if
the anti-food irradiation folks would want to ban radical sources
induced from processes other than ionizing radiation?!

(hgc2+@pitt.edu)
 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
H. Gregg Claycamp, Ph.D., C.H.P.
Assoc. Prof. and Assoc. Chair
Dept. of Environmental and
  Occupational Health
University of Pittsburgh
412-967-6524 FAX:  412-624-1020


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