Food irradiation history began when the discovery of x-ray by Roentgen in 1805 and radioactive substances by Becquerel in 1896.
Following these discoveries there was much research examining the effects of these irradiations on biological organisms.
In the same year H. Minsch from Germans published a proposal to use ionizing radiation to serve food by destroying spoilage microorganisms.
Soon thereafter, Samuel Prescott, a biology professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts, demonstrated that bacteria in food could be killed with gamma rays from radium.
Within a few years patents describing the use of ionizing to destroy bacteria in food were issued in both the United States and Britain.
The first patent on the proposition to apply ionizing to kill bacteria in foods was issued in the UK to Appleby and Banks in 1905.
The finding the ionizing radiation could destroy bacteria occurred in 1904, and the technology was evaluated as early as 1921 for destroying trichinae in pork.
However, radiation sources strong enough for industrial exploitation were not available before the 1950s.
However in the early 1950s, the US government became involve in the development of food irradiation and funded related research. The Atomic Energy Commission started sponsoring programs in 1950, followed by the IS Army in 1953.
In 1958, The Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act is amended and defines sources of radiation intended for use in processing food as a new food additive.
The worldwide first food irradiation facilities became operational in Germany in 1957 for spices, but had to dismantle in 1959 when Germany banned food irradiation.
In 1986, FDA approves irradiation at specific doses to delay maturation, inhibit growth and disinfect foods, including vegetables and spices.
The Federal Meat Inspection Act also is amended to permit gamma radiation in control Trichinella spiralis in fresh or previously frozen pork.
Food irradiation in history
