Scientific studies have shown that irradiation does not significantly reduce nutritional quality or change food taste, texture, or appearance. Irradiated foods do not become radioactive. Irradiated products sold to date have cost slightly more than their conventional counterparts. But, the increased cost may be offset by advantages such as keeping a product fresh longer and enhancing its safety. And, if irradiated foods become more widely available, the cost is likely to drop.
Food is packed in containers and moved by conveyor belt into a shielded room.
There it is exposed briefly to a radiant-energy source. Energy waves passing through the food break molecular bonds in the DNA of bacteria, other pathogens, and insects. Food is left virtually unchanged, but the number of harmful bacteria, parasites, etc. is reduced and may be eliminated.