Lok Sabha Question No. 6050 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-04-04
Subject: Use of Radiation Technology for Fruits and Vegetables
Ministry: ATOMIC ENERGY
Asked by: RAMSINH PATALYABHAI RATHWA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.6050

TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.04.2018

## USE OF RADIATION TECHNOLOGY FOR FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

6050.   SHRI RAMSINH RATHWA:

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to use nuclear radiation technology developed by Bhabha  Atomic  Research  Centre  (BARC)  for  increasing  the  shelf  life  of  fruits  and vegetables, especially that of onions and potatoes and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the  details  of  radiation  plants  established  by  the  Government  so  far  along  with  the details of the fruits and vegetables whose shelf life have been increased; and
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  conducted  any  study  to  ascertain  the  safety  of technology  approved  by  the  Atomic  Energy  Regulatory  Commission  and  if  so,  the details and the outcome thereof?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES & PENSIONS AND PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE (Dr. JITENDRA SINGH) :

- (a) Radiation processing technology is already being used for processing of agricultural/food products. Radiation processing has potential to control post-harvest losses of foods including the perishable produce like onions and potatoes. Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) has been engaged in R&D work on the technology of preservation and hygienisation of food and agri-products by radiation processing. Extension  of  shelf  life  of  horticultural  produces  is  very  much  depended  on  the produce,  variety  and  storage  conditions.  For  many  fresh  agricultural  produce subjected  to  irradiation  and  proper  storage,  substantial  shelf  life  extension  can  be achieved. Radiation technology can delay ripening of certain fruits such as mango and banana. It can also delay the senescence (natural decay) process of many fruits and vegetables. It can control post-harvest sprouting in case of potato, onion, ginger and  garlic.  By  all  these  effects,  shelf  life  of  many  fruits  and  vegetables  can  be substantially extended. Besides, quarantine of fruits, flowers and vegetables can be achieved with irradiation which is a requirement for exporting the agricultural produce to  many  countries.  Some  fruits  and  leafy  vegetables  need  to  be  stored  under refrigerated conditions  (4-6°C)  after irradiation.    In  general,  about  7-10  days enhanced shelf life extension has been observed for the irradiated vegetables with respect  to  non-irradiated  ones.  BARC  has  done  extensive  studies  on  shelf-life extension  of  potato  and  onion,  and  phytosanitary  treatments  of  fruits  like  Mango, Pomegranate  etc.  Sprouting  during  storage  is  the  main  reason  for  loss  of  quality, reduced shelf life and nutritional values. In onions, the effectiveness of irradiation for satisfactory  sprout  control  is  very  much  dependent  on  the  habitat,  pre-harvest

growing conditions, cropping season, state of dormancy of the onion bulb at the time of irradiation, the radiation doses employed, and post-irradiation storage environment particularly  the  temperature  and  humidity.  With  potatoes  regardless  of  cultivar  and post-irradiation  storage  temperature  inhibits  sprouting  irreversibly.  In  general,  best results  are  obtained  when  good  quality  tubers  harvested  with  minimal  injuries  and cured sufficiently to heal the bruises and wounds, are irradiated. Depending upon the varieties,  the  shelf-life  of  onion  and  potato  can  be  extended  for  4-6  months  while storage at 12-15 °C.

Food irradiation facilities have been deployed in several sectors in Indian Agri market and are contributing considerably for the preservation of intended food commodities. This  technology  has  shown  potential  to  address  quarantine  barrier  for  export  of Indian  mangoes  to  USA.  Other  fruits  (pomegranate  and  grapes)  are  also  under consideration  for  the  same  purpose  as  well  as  shelf  life  enhancement.  A  large quantity  of  Indian  spices  is  commercially  being  irradiated  since  long  time  both  for domestic and international markets. Processing also brings benefits to consumers in terms  of availability, storage  life, distribution,  and  improved  hygiene  of  food. Irradiation can have a stabilizing effect on market price of commodities by reducing storage losses resulting in increased availability of produce. Government of India has already  issued  a  notification  dated  June  26,  2012  under  Atomic  Energy  Act,  1962 with a title "Atomic Energy (Radiation Processing of Food and Allied Products) Rule, 2012"  in which  8 categories of products  have  been  approved  for  Radiation Processing including onions and potatoes.

- (b) Government  of  India  (Department  of  Atomic  Energy)  has  set  up  two  radiation technology demonstration units, one commissioned in the year 2000 for high dose irradiation at Vashi, Navi Mumbai, and another in 2002, for low dose irradiation, i.e. Krushi Utpadan Sanrakshan Kendra (KRUSHAK) facility at Lasalgaon near Nashik. The  facilities  are  being  operated  by  the  Board  of  Radiation  &  Isotope  Technology (BRIT).    Two  plants  are  also  set  up  one  each  by  Maharashtra  government  and Gujarat government. Currently, 15 irradiation plants including those in Private Sector (Annexure 1) are functional in the country. These facilities are being used extensively for radiation processing of agricultural produce such as onion, potato, mango, grains and other products such as onion powder, garlic powder, spices, ayurvedic products, animal feed etc. Mango irradiation started since the year 2007 and around 1150 tons of  mangos  are  processed  annually  at  these  facilities  for  export  to  USA.  Annually, about 20,000 MT of food and allied products are being irradiated in the country.
- (c)      The irradiation process involves passing of food through a radiation field allowing the food to  absorb  desired  radiation  energy  but  the  food  itself  never  comes  in  contact with the radioactive material and hence the irradiation process does not make food radioactive. The energy of the radiation is much below the threshold limit to induce radioactivity  in  atoms  and  molecules.  Irradiation  produces  very  little  chemical changes in food. Physical properties of food were also not found to be affected by the radiation treatment. The majority of changes due to radiation processing of food are similar to those by other preservation methods like heat.  The radiolytic products and free  radicals  produced  in  irradiated  food  are  identical  to  those  present  in  foods subjected to treatment such as cooking and canning. None of the changes known to

occur  have  been  found  to  be  harmful.  Highly  sensitive  scientific  tests  carried  out during  the  past  50  years  in  India  as  well  as  abroad  have  failed  to  detect  any  new chemical product in radiation processed foods. The safety and wholesomeness of the technology was  endorsed  in 1981  by  international bodies like  World  Health Organization  (WHO),  Food  &  Agricultural  Organization  (FAO),  International  Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and in 1983 by the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC). Recently, the harmonization of food irradiation rules with the international regulation through  adaptation  of  class  wise  clearance  of  irradiated  food  items  by  the  Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has taken place with the issue of [Food  Safety  and  Standards  (Food  Products  Standards  and  Food  Additives)  Sixth Amendment Regulations, 2016] for large scale deployment of this technology.

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## RADIATION PROCESSING PLANTS IN INDIA

| Sr. No.   | Name of Facility                                                          | Purpose                             | Status/Commissioned   |
|-----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|-----------------------|
|           | Government Sector                                                         |                                     |                       |
| 1         | Radiation Processing Plant, Vashi, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra(by BRIT, DAE) | Food and allied products            | Commissioned in 2000  |
| 2         | KRUSHAK, Lassalgaon, Nashik, Maharashtra (by BARC, DAE)                   | Food Products                       | Commissioned in 2002  |
| 3         | M/s. Gujarat Agro Industries Corpn. Ltd, Bavla, Ahmedabad, Gujarat        | Food Products                       | Commissioned in 2014  |
| 4         | Maharashtra State Agricultural Mktg. Board, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra      | Food Products                       | Commissioned in 2015  |
|           | Private Sector                                                            |                                     |                       |
| 5         | M/s. Organic Green Foods Ltd., Dankuni, Kolkata, West Bengal              | Food, Packaging & Medical Products  | Commissioned in 2004  |
| 6         | M/s. A.V. Processors Pvt. Ltd., Ambernath (E), Thane, Maharashtra         | Food & Medical Products             | Commissioned in 2005  |
| 7         | M/s. Universal Medicap Ltd., Vadodara, Gujarat                            | Food & Medical Products             | Commissioned in 2005. |
| 8         | M/s. Microtrol, Bangalore, Karnataka                                      | Food & Medical Products             | Commissioned in 2006  |
| 9         | M/s. Agrosurg Irradiators, Vasai, Thane, Maharashtra                      | Food, Packaging & Medical Products  | Commissioned in 2008. |
| 10        | M/s. Gamma Agro Medical Processing, Hyderabad, Telangana                  | Food & Medical Products             | Commissioned in 2008. |
| 11        | M/s. Jhunsons Chemicals Pvt Ltd., Bhiwadi, Rajasthan                      | Agro, Medical & Packaging Products  | Commissioned in 2010  |
| 12        | M/s. Innova Agri Bio Park Ltd., Malur, Dist. Kolar, Karnataka             | Food & Medical Products             | Commissioned in 2011  |
| 13        | M/s. Hindustan Agro Co- Operative Ltd., Rahuri, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra   | Onion & Other Agricultural Produces | Commissioned in 2012  |
| 14        | M/s. Impartial Agro Tech (P) Ltd., Unnao, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh          | Food & Medical Products             | Commissioned in 2014  |
| 15        | M/s. Aligned Industries, Dharuhera, Rewari, Haryana                       | Food Products                       | Commissioned in 2015  |

## Annexure-1.