Irradiation technology is also being used for a variety of other purposes, in addition to food processing. Here in the U.S., irradiation is commonly used to sterilize medical supplies and equipment. At this point, there is really no controversy in the scientific community about the safety and effectiveness of irradiation. Studies have also been conducted on human volunteers, some of whom consumed diets consisting almost entirely of irradiated food. None of these studies produced any evidence of toxicity or other negative health effects.
Irradiation produces almost no discernable changes in the food itself.
Irradiation has been endorsed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Public Health Service, the American Medical Association, the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, the American Dietetic Association and the World Health Organization. The amount of radiation used on the food depends on factors like the density of the food, how long the food is exposed to the radiation source, and the amount of radioactive energy emitted by the radiation source. In this country, cobalt-60 is currently the radioactive material most commonly used to irradiate food. The cobalt-60 in an irradiation facility is contained in stainless steel rods and mounted in racks. When not in use, the rods are shielded, to contain the energy emitted by the radiation source.