Re: cold pasteurization

["Zack Clayton" <zack.clayton@epa.state.oh.us>]

There seem to be two discussions going on this.  One is on theoretical contamination  'from' a source of beta (and therefore probably associated gamma) radiation as opposed to no radioactive source as generated by an accelerator.   The other discussion is about the deliberate obfuscation of what process is used.  Either source described produces an ionizing radiation and the food is therefore irradiated.  What kind of doublespeak is cold pasteurization?  Most people understand the term as a form of controlled heating even though my Webster's defines it as a process of ". . . partial or complete sterilization." with no mention of process method.  Truth in advertizing would seem to drive toward radiation pasteurization or ionizing pasteurization.

Hopefully, when this terminology comes up for review, someone will mine the RADSAFE archives and submit the accumulated comments. 

Zack Clayton
Ohio EPA - DERR
email:  zack.clayton@epa.state.oh.us
voice:  614-644-3066
fax:        614-460-8249

************************************************************************
The RADSAFE Frequently Asked Questions list, archives and subscription
information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html