When not in use, the rack is submerged in a deep pool of cooled water. At the push of a button, hydraulic arms lift the cobalt rack out of its protective pool and tall metal boxes packed with food slide into the irradiation chamber on an overhead monorail. Treatment times vary. Fresh strawberries pass through in 8 minutes. Frozen chicken takes 20 minutes.
Food is loaded into the irradiator on standard pallets.
In the 1980's a lengthy and protracted public debate about food irradiation occurred in Australia, resulting in a moratorium on irradiation. In 1999, the moratorium was lifted at the same time as a landmark decision about genetically modified foods was announced. The Australia New Zealand Food Authority has now accepted an application from Australian irradiation company, Steritech, to irradiate herbs, spices, teas and oilseeds for beverages. The application is currently subject to evaluation and two separate periods of public consultation are being held. The first ran from October 11 to December 6 2000.