Month: September 2022

HEAVY IONIZING RADIATION USE IN US FOOD. "In total, 103 000 tonnes of food products were irradiated on mainland United States in 2010. In total, 7 972 tonnes of food products were irradiated in European Union countries in 2012." http://lnkd.in/dSmQEDp View in LinkedIn

LAB VS FIELD TESTS of ionizing radiation for water treatment require real life pilot plant trials where the chemistry is more complex due to the numerous variables in local conditions. View in LinkedIn

IONIZED WATER RED HERRING. "Companies are selling machines that put drinking water through an "ionization" process. According to the companies, the process, also called "electrolysis," is accomplished using negatively and positively charged electrodes." This is not the same as using true ionizing radiation for water purification. Beware the confusion. http://lnkd.in/dH5suyE View in LinkedIn

"SNAKE OIL ON TAP" is how one respected commentator describes alkaline or ionized water, a new fad backed by large marketing dollars. Once again, this clouds the issue of ionizing radiation treatment of water, which is entirely different. http://lnkd.in/dhXWT8W View in LinkedIn

HOME IONIZER WARNING. "If you are using an ionizer to create alkaline water, the natural metals in your water will be concentrated to levels that are higher than in untreated water. This results in water that contains a level of metals and other constituents that is considered dangerous." http://lnkd.in/dT3kvdK View in LinkedIn

IONIZING RADIATION (the real one) has been most tested in food processing applications, with some deep controversies arising (perceived or real). This backdrop has less relevance to water purification, but exists as a strongly emotive coloring on the subject. And the one with a ton of actual use in the market. http://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/foodtox/lectures/lecture16/L16-Food%2520Irradiation_outline.pdf View in LinkedIn

IT'S ALL ABOUT SHELF-LIFE. "As in the heat pasteurization of milk, the irradiation process greatly reduces but does not eliminate all bacteria. Irradiated poultry, for example, still requires refrigeration, but would be safe longer than untreated poultry. Strawberries that have been irradiated will last two to three weeks in the refrigerator compared to only a few days for untreated berries." http://lnkd.in/dK6VbK7 View in LinkedIn

PATHOGENS IN FOOD increase as the distance between the farm and fork increase, and as the scale of production increases. In small-scale farming, under good practices, pathogens in food are rare events. They only come into play at a significant level when we go for big scale, at long distances and to achieve extended shelf life. A simple truth. View in LinkedIn

SIMPLE TRUTHS about food. Eat locally (Zero Km movement), eat seasonally, avoid the supermarket or anything from a factory, and worries about food pathogens or additives or diminished nutritional value are no longer issues. A lifestyle worth considering to avoid the modern madness of poisons in our food, that tastes like cardboard, and has no nutritional value. View in LinkedIn

PUBLIC PERCEPTION of radiation in water purification is a key issue for acceptance, because unless irrational myths or outright confusions cannot be reversed, public opinion can generate a strong opposition. Easily generated, urban myths can take on a life of their own, especially in a social media viral world, where nothing is as tantalizing as a conspiracy theory. View in LinkedIn