Ionising Radiation Treatment for Food Preservation

Ionising Radiation Treatment for Food Preservation Xinhao DAI Introduction (principles how it works) Irradiation (gamma rays, electrons or X-rays) is applied to foods for promoting food safety and eliminating and reducing pests that are harmful to plants and plants products ((EFSA), 2011). The first use of food irradiation occurred in 1957 in Germany, in which a spice manufacturer in Stuttgart started to improve the hygienic quality of its products by irradiating them with electrons, using a van de Graaff generator. After some hesitations whether to grant permissions for marketing irradiated food, the International Project in the Field of Food Irradiation (IFIP) was created in 1970, aiming to carry out a worldwide research program on the health safety of irradiated food (Diehl, 2002). The committee concluded in 1980 that the irradiation of any food commodity up to an overall average dose of 10kGy presented no toxicological hazard and no special nutritional or microbiological problems (WHO, 1981). The International Consultative Group on Food Irradiation (ICGFI) was created in 1983, now supported by 45 member countries, and provides publications on the safety of irradiated food, the effectiveness of food irradiation, commercialization of the process, legislative aspects, control of irradiation facilities, and acceptance of the information on food irradiation(Diehl, 2002). As ionizing radiation passes through food, it creates a trail of chemical transformations by primary and secondary radiolysis effects. The extent of chemical reactions induced by irradiation in food components depends on following variables: irradiation treatment conditions (absorbed dose, dose rate, facility type), presence or absence of oxygen, temperature as well as composition of food. The main reported radiolytic products are certain hydrocarbons and 2-alkylcylobutanones produced from the major fatty acids in food, and some cholesterol oxides and furans ((EFSA), 2011). Application to Food Preservation All irradiated foods are supposed to have a label (G.H. Zhou, 2010). The irradiation technology was promoted by the FAO in the Codex Alimentarius in 2003 and has been well accepted in 50 countries. Irradiation technology is used worldwide to sterilize medical devices and pharmaceuticals, preserve artefacts, process cosmetics, packaging and food, and enable material improvements in consumer and manufactured goods ((EFSA), 2011). The following types of ionizing radiations are covered by international standards of the Joint FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission and are therefore internationally recognized for the treatment of foods and permissible under Directive 1992/2/EC concerning foods and food ingredients treated with ionizing radiation: Gamma rays with energies of 1.17 and 1.33 MeV8 as emitted by the radionuclide cobalt-60 (Co-60) or gamma rays of 0.66 MeV as emitted by caesium-137 (Cs-137); Electrons (electron beams, E-beams) generated from machine courses operated at or below an energy level of 10 MeV; or X-rays generated from machine sources operated at or below an energy level of 5 MeV ((EFSA), 2011). The irradiation technology is highly efficient of inactivating bacteria, and the product is essentially chemically unaltered and the appreciable thickness materials, which can be used after packaging. It is non-thermal, thus it wont change the freshness and nutritional quality of the meat and meat products, though color change may occur due to the inherent susceptibility of the myoglobin molecule to energy input and alterations in the chemical environment.(G.H. Zhou, 2010). The radiation treatment results in no loss of thiamine, which is one of the least stable vitamins (Graham, 1998). Disinfestation of papayas and other exotic fruits (rambutan, lychee, star fruit, atemoya) by irradiation process in Hawaii for shipment to US mainland enabled Hawaiian exports to offer products with higher quality, instead of steam heating them for several hours (Diehl, 2002). Degradation products of parathion formed by irradiation seem to protect against a decline of antioxidant capacity and reduce polyphenolic loss. Ionizing radiation was found to be useful in breaking down pesticides residues without inducing significant loss of polyphenols (Issam Ben Salem, 2013). Gamma irradiation was effective in delaying deterioration reactions, improving microbiological, chemical, and color quality of vacuum-packed squid rings stored at 4-5  °C (Yeannes, 2012). Safety World Health Organization encourages the use of food irradiation, which is described as ‘a technique for preserving and improving the safety of food’ (WHO, 1988). However, the high radiation doses up to 25 kGy produced a statistically significant (p While inoising radiation being an effective method to reduce pathogenic E.coli O157: H7 in meat and poultry products (E. Mayer-Miebach and Schuchmann, 2005), Bacillus cereus LSPQ and Salmonella Typhi ATCC 19430 are radiotolerant bacteria (Samia Ayari, 2009). A recent research studied the effect of irradiation by dufferent irradiation types (gamma and electron beam), irradiation doses (1, 3, 7 and 10 kGy) and does rates (5kGy s-1 for electron beam and 0,4 1.85 kGy h-1 for gamma) on fifteen retail packaging materials. The results confirmed that irradiation-induced changes do occur in substances with the potential to migrate and that the safety of the finished packaging material following irradiation showed be assessed (M. Driffielda, 2014). Other study showed gamma-radiation did not affect the kinetics of plasticizer migration. On the contrary, electron-beam radiation produced shorter equilibration times for all food-simulating solvents tested at 40  °C. The values are far below the European Union restriction (1mg Kg-1 body weight) for ATBC and PVC. Thus PVC cling film may be used in food irradiation application in contact with aqueous foodstuffs (P.D. Zygoura, May 2011). Some studies indicate that at least some alkylcyclobutanones can induce DNA damage in vivo. No in vivo genotoxicity studies are available; however, the Panel considers a genotoxic hazard in humans unlikely. The only new contrary evidence was leukoenohalomyelopathy in cats, which have been fed mainly, or exclusively with highly irradiated feed (>25kGy). The finding has only been reported with cats, dogs consumed the same pet food did not show the disease in one report. A clear mechanistic explanation in terms if risk assessment has not been established yet ((EFSA), 2011). Suitability Due to the opposition from some very influential anti-irradiation activist groups an the uncertain about the acceptance of irradiated commodities by consumers, for many years, only spices and seasonings are still being irradiated worldwide on a significant scale. The irradiation of meat and meat products in USA requires prior approval not only by FDA, but also by US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA/FSIS) (Diehl, 2002). Conclusion The ionizing radiation works by passing through food, creating a trail of chemical transformations by primary and secondary radiolysis effects. The irradiation technology can be used on fruits, vegetables, meat products, and spices. It is highly efficient of inactivating bacteria, disinfestation with minimum influence of nutritional factors of food to achieve longer shelf life and better food quality. However, some studies showed migration of some packaging material with aqueous foodstuff after irradiation. The development and permeation of ionizing irradiation become very slow due to vocal anti-irradiation activist groups and uncertain about the acceptance of irradiated commodities by consumers. References (EFSA), E. F. S. A. 2011. Scientific Opinion on the Chemical Safety of Irradiation of Food. EFSA Journal, 9. DIEHL, J. F. 2002. Food irradiationFpast, present and future. Radiation Physics and Chemistry, 63, 211-215. E. MAYER-MIEBACH, M. R. S., U. ESCHRIG, L. DENIAUD, D.A.E. EHLERMANN, SCHUCHMANN, H. P. 2005. Inactivation of a non-pathogenic strain of E. coli by ionising radiation. Food Control, 16, 701-705. G.H. ZHOU, X. L. X., Y. LIU 2010. Preservation technologies for fresh meat – A review. Meat Science, 86, 119-128. GRAHAM, W. D., STEVENSON, M. H., STEWART, E. M. 1998. Effect of irradiation dose and irradiation temperature on the thiamin content of raw and cooked chicken breast  meat. Journal of the Science of Food Agriculture, , 78, 559-564. IRENE GALA ÃÅ' N, M. L. G. A. M. D. S. 2011. Effects of ionising irradiation on quality and sensory attributes of ready-to-eat dry fermented sausages enriched with folic acid. International Journal of Food Science and Technology, 46, 469-477. ISSAM BEN SALEM, S. F., HAITHAM SGHAIER, MEHREZ BOUSSELMI, MOULDI SAIDI, AHMED LANDOULSI, SAMI FATTOUCH 2013. Effect of ionising radiation on polyphenolic content and antioxidant potential of parathion-treated sage (Salvia officinalis) leaves. Food Chemistry, 141, 1398-1405. M. DRIFFIELDA, E. L. B., I. LEONA, L. LISTER, D.R. SPECK, L. CASTLE AND E.L.J. POTTER 2014. Analytical screening studies on irradiated food packaging. Food Additives Contaminants, 31, 556-565. P.D. ZYGOURA, E. K. P. A. M. G. K. May 2011. Effect of ionising radiation treatment on the specific migration characteristics of packaging–food simulant combinations: effect of type and dose of radiatio. Food Additives and Contaminants, 28, 686-694. PANAGIOTA D. ZYGOURA, E. K. P., MICHAEL G. KONTOMINAS 2011. Migration levels of PVC plasticisers: Effect of ionising radiation treatment. Food Chemistry, 128, 106-113. SAMIA AYARI, D. D., MATHIEU MILLETTE, MOKHTAR HAMDI, MONIQUE LACROIX 2009. Changes in membrane fatty acids and murein composition of Bacillus cereus and Salmonella Typhi induced by gamma irradiation treatment. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 135, 1-6. WHO 1981. WholesomenessofIrradiatedFood. Technical Report Series 659. Geneva: World Health Organization. WHO 1988. FoodI rradiation.A Technique for Preserving and Improving the Safety of Food. Geneva: World Health Organization in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization. YEANNES, A. T. M. A. I. 2012. Gamma radiation effect on quality changes in vacuum-packed squid (Illex argentinus) mantle rings during refrigerated (4–5  °C) storage. International Journal of Food Science and Technology, 47, 1550-1557.

Supernatural in Shakespeares Macbeth - Role of the Witches Essay

The Role of the Witches in Macbeth  Ã‚   When Shakespeare wrote his play, Macbeth in 1606 a large majority of people were interested in witchcraft. This is why Shakespeare made the witches and the witches’ prophecies play a major part in the storyline of the play. In the time of Macbeth witches were not thought to be supernatural beings themselves, but supposedly gained their powers by selling their souls to Satan. There can be little doubt that most of Shakespeare’s audience would have believed in witches, and for the purpose of the play, at least, Shakespeare also accepted their reality. The three witches in the tragedy Macbeth are introduced at the beginning of the play and the brief opening few scenes give an immediate impression of mystery, horror and uncertainty. This is a sign of things to come as witchcraft is used as one of the main themes of the play. The witches create an atmosphere of evil and disorder. In the opening scene the weather is thunder and lightning which is a mirror image of the way the witches are perceived. When you think of thunder and lightning you think of evil and destruction, this is exactly the way witches are represented in this play. They are evil and cause destruction in Macbeth’s life. Banquo says in act 1 scene 3 line 124: "The instruments of darkness tell us truths, Win us with honest trifles, to betray's In deepest consequence." He thinks and says bad things of the witches. He calls them instruments of darkness and the devil. He believes that these prophecies will only bring harm even before anything begins to happen. He sees beyond the witches and can see that they are evil where as Macbeth is taken in by the witches and this ‘blindness’ is what causes his downhill spiral o... ...e is responsible for his own destiny. This is an essential theme in this tragedy. Macbeth chooses to gamble with his soul and when he does this it is only him who chooses to lose it. He is responsible for anything he does and must take total accountability for his actions. Macbeth is the one who made the final decision to carry out his actions. He made these final decisions and continued with the killings to cover that of King Duncan. However where as some facts show that the results were all of his own doing, in act 4 he returns to the witches voluntarily to find out his fate in order to see what actions he should take. This suggests that the witches did have a great influence on his actions. Work Cited Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. Ed. X.J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. 7th ed. New York: Longman, 1999.

Significant Event Helen Keller

Throughout the course of Helen Keels remarkable life, there were many notable events that brought about significant changes to her life. One event that is particularly notable was her contraction of the Brain Fever in 1 882, as it completely changed the way she would live her life, view her life, and the way others would remember her life. In 1880, Helen Keller was born to Author H. Keller and Katherine Adams Keller.She was a healthy child who was born with her senses of sight and hearing, like all other children. At the tender age of 6 months, she had started to speak. When she was 18 months old, however, Helen Keller contracted an illness that produced a high body temperature. What it is exactly is not known, but many believe it could have been scarlet fever or meningitis. Some days after the fever broke, her mother noticed that she was not responding normally to sounds and light.When she had recovered her health, she could no longer see or hear. The early loss of her sense of sigh t and sound caused Helen to have only a limited method of communication with her family. It also caused her to become very wild and unruly as she grew from infancy to childhood, possibly due to her inability to express her emotions appropriately through language and proper communication. Due to the loss of her special condition, she was very hard to teach or discipline.Her mother searched arduously for suitable teacher, and later decided on Anne Sullivan, a recent graduate of Perkins Institute for the Blind. Their close relationship was known as a great contributor to Hellene success, but without the loss of her senses, none of it would have been possible. The illness she contracted at 1 8 months of age was the one event that led to many other events, like the meeting of Anne Sullivan, etc. If not for her disability, she might not have been where she was, in the end – a successful and inspirational woman to remember.

The Dangers of NaNoWriMo

The Dangers of NaNoWriMo The Dangers of NaNoWriMo This is the last week of one of the year’s most frenetic months for writers: National Novel Writing Month. Since its foundation in 1999, the now-universally-abbreviated NaNoWriMo has established itself as the best opportunity for aspiring writers to stop being just that.At the last New Generation Self-Publishing Summit (sponsored by Reedsy), Porter Anderson said something that really stuck with me (and apparently others – see tweets below): â€Å"‘E’ will obliterate territorial rights.†Exactly. ‘E’ has this extraordinary capacity to tear down physical or territorial barriers – and that’s true for everything from books to . In the case of NaNoWriMo, ‘e’ gives rise to a universal writers’ group where authors meet annually, exchange tips, support one another and update the community on their progress. The result is a global race where winning is accessible to everyone, because winning means finishing the ma nuscript. These kind of races always end up creating a strong sense of community.To the casual observer, NaNoWriMo might seem like the greatest thing to happen to writers since QWERTY. But the e-phenomenon might not be for everyone. Here’s why.1. The â€Å"New Year’s Resolution† EffectLet’s start with a mild accusation. To me, it sounds like â€Å"NaNoWriMo† is to authors what January is to non-authors: that time of year when you take on game-changing projects that you hold on to†¦ for a month.Writing over 1,000 words a day is something many authors do throughout the year (or at least several months a year), and many successful authors write in excess of 10,000 words per month. While NaNoWriMo creates the perfect incentive to *start* doing that, I think it is as important for authors to stick to the 1,667 words a day during NaNoWriMo as it is for them to keep writing regularly afterwards (at a slower pace, maybe). NaNo can create momentum, but it can also cause burnout for those unaccustomed to such a colossal creative effort.NaNo shouldn’t be the exception in an author’s life; it should be the ramp that launches a writing career.2. â€Å"In the end, it’s all about writing, you know?†There’s a Holy Trinity of generalized advice to authors out there that comes up regularly at conferences or in blog posts, forums and social media: 1. Writing is only half the job; reaching readers is the other half. 2. Writing your next book is your #1 marketing tool. 3. Present your book to readers only when it’s in the best possible shape.NaNoWriMo sets up authors to follow none of this advice.Think about it: You’re writing 1,667 words a day. You have a full-time job on the side. You spend the little spare time you have tweeting updates about your writing and contributing to a #nanowrimo hashtag feed that is already flooded by self-publishing companies trying to get participants’ att ention.In the meantime, not much is done for â€Å"the second half of the job† – marketing. It’s easy when all the focus is around #amwriting to forget about the occasional reader-directed tweet or Facebook post, the monthly newsletter, blogging, reader-mapping, etc. Not all authors forget about marketing during NaNo (the â€Å"big names† keep blogging heavily as a matter of fact), but there’s a certain detriment to everyone in the author community putting sole emphasis on â€Å"just writing† for a month.This brings us to item #3. Speed and precision are rarely bedfellows, and NaNo manuscripts are no exception. I’ll expand on this point below.3. â€Å"There! I’m done! Let’s publish now.†I’ve heard from several Reedsy editors that the months following Nano are usually super busy for them. Authors have their first drafts in hand and are so proud that they want to capitalise on the momentum and accelerate the â€Å"publishing process† so their book gets out there quickly. NaNoWriMo puts so much emphasis on speed that it invites authors to neglect the 3rd rule cited above, and accentuates an author’s biggest vice: impatience.Eagerness is perfectly understandable, especially in light of the massive effort it takes to write 50k words in 30 days. But that pace is challenging even for seasoned authors, and at best would result in a first draft – a starting point for editing and revision. Looking for an editor right after NaNo can be a good option, but only if you’re looking to get a quick manuscript assessment (most Reedsy editors offer that, and some will offer a discount in December/January for NaNo manuscripts). Doing a developmental edit, let alone a copyedit or proofread on your manuscript is a waste of time and money; you’re simply not ready – or at least, your NaNo manuscript isn’t.Even if you ARE the rare specimen ready for the next pha se of manuscript development come December 1, tens of thousands of other NaNoWriMo participants will be looking for a developmental editor during the same period of time. This means that all good, reputable editors are going to be fully booked for a couple of months. Have you ever tried finding a free treadmill at a gym in January? Well, it’s like that, but worse. Patience! Take December, or even January too, to edit your book, develop an early reader base (or look for beta-readers), pair up with other authors to prepare a common launch, or get started on your next book. Releasing several at a time can be an unexpected way to get noticed very quickly by the gremlins that power Amazon’s algorithms (aka, an indie author’s best friends*)†¦Like Christmas does for consumer capitalism, NaNoWriMo generates an incredible amount of enthusiasm and energy for creative writing. But it’s not without risk, and sometimes gives rise to misperceptions about what writ ing seriously involves. Impatience, burnout and neglect of the market are natural pitfalls for NaNo participants. So authors: tread carefully, and learn from your experienced peers. Use NaNoWriMo not as an end in itself, but as another tool in your kit. November comes but once a year, but writing your novel is a 24/7/365 commitment.*Next to self-doubt and caffeine, anyway.By Ricardo FayetEdited by the lovely Reedsy editor Becca Heyman–What do you personally think of NaNoWriMo? I’d love to know your thoughts on this so don’t hesitate to leave a comment!

BLack Robe essays

BLack Robe essays After reading the assigned biographies and viewing the movie "Black Robe", I think the "Black Legend" fails to accurately define Indian/European relationships. Bartolome de Las Casas initially makes the Spanish conquistadors look like very abusive and uncaring men. He writes, "The Christians, with their horses and swords and lances, began to slaughter and practise strange cruelties among them." The Indians, on the other hand, are described as a kind and delicate people, like lambs or gentle sheep; but still considered inferior to the Europeans. Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca, a Spanish nobleman, initially viewed the Indians as a people to be conquered and enslaved. He came to America in hopes of finding treasures of gold but, instead, I think he found himself. Cabeza de Vaca was born into a family of adventurers so it is not surprising that he joined Panfilo de Narvaez's expedition to the "West Indies" to conquer the land we know as present-day Florida. Upon reaching Florida after months at sea and a winter in Cuba, the Indians of the land were not overjoyed to see this new batch of Spaniards. In fact, after meeting Narvaez's emissary, "the entire village fled into the forest." When Narvaez came ashore, he read the requerimiento which simply stated the Indians were now subjects of the King of Spain and were required to obey all Spanish law and become Christians. Should they refuse to obey, they would become enslaved and sold. It mattered not to Narvaez that the Indians were not present when he read this. An expedition set out to find what ikons as present-day Mexico. Cabeza de Vaca was part of this expedition which lasted several years and took him through present-day Texas, New Mexico, and Mexico. As Cabeza de Vaca searched for Mexico, he came to realize that this race of people known as Indians were not so heathen as he once thought. Although he still viewed them as inferior to the Europeans, he did conclude that t...

Critical analysis and implications of the practice resulting from the Essay

Critical analysis and implications of the practice resulting from the exploration of the patient journey - Essay Example The terminology, â€Å"terminal illness† that emerged and spread in the mid 20th century refers to a condition that cannot sufficiently be treated and is thus expected to end in death after a given period. Among the conditions commonly considered terminal are progressive ones such as advanced trauma-related heart diseases and cancers (Winslow et al., 2005). Terminal diseases are thus conditions that finally end the sufferers’ lives. There are several stages of terminal illnesses that medical professionals should be familiar with. The fact that different patients and their families react differently to news about these stages implies that nurses and other medical professionals should know how to handle and communicate news about each of these stages. The first stage of a terminal illness is the disbelief phase during which most people are shocked and despaired at news about terminal illness. This phase is sometimes marked by feeling of guilt as one suspects he/she has do ne something wrong to deserve such an illness. The disbelief stage is followed by the stage of depression, which range from mild to moderate in intensity, calling for immediate family and professional support (medical therapy). Since there is no cure for terminal illnesses, only certain types of medical treatments such as treatment to ease breathing or reduce pain could be appropriate. While some incurably ill people accept aggressive treatments to reduce their suffering or in the hope of full recovery, others reject all unbearable treatments that might result in unwanted side effects and worsened condition (Abma et al., 2005). Still. Some opt to undergo untried treatments including radical dietary modifications in the hope that they could prove effective. To help manage pain, suffering, symptoms and to improve general patient life and wellbeing regardless of the management approach used, palliative care is often recommended. To provide the much needed emotional and spiritual suppor t for terminal illness patients and their families, hospice care is highly recommended. Further, supplementary care such as relaxation therapy, massage, and acupuncture are used to manage signs, symptoms and other causes of distress and pain. Analysis of â€Å"Patient Journey† An analysis of the ‘Patient Journey’ reveals several challenges that terminally ill patients encounter throughout the rest of their lives. Easily identified in the analysed case of the terminally ill John is the challenge of frequent admissions into health facilities. Accompanying these frequent admission are numerous treatments and therapies such as blood transfusion, which make the patient‘s life more painful and unbearable. In spite of these therapies and treatments, John’s condition continues to deteriorate, rendering him unconscious and unable to make decisions on his own about his health care. John’s family makes the situation worse since they respond to all questi ons directed at John. This scenario implies that the nurses could not engage the patient directly with questions regarding his health care (Abma et al., 2005). In fact, the patient’s family intervenes whenever the nurses wanted to relieve his pain by administering painkillers. Further, it is the family’s voice and opinion that was heard over John’

Financial impact on universal healthcare in the U.S Essay

Financial impact on universal healthcare in the U.S - Essay Example An interdisciplinary perspective is advocated in the modern healthcare provision, which encompasses more responsibilities. With the recent developments in the interactions that healthcare providers have with drug suppliers, financial and accounting regulations have been given emphasis than ever before. In what has evolved to be commonly known as Physicians-Industry Relations, it is clear that there are a number of risks that the healthcare practitioners might be exposed to regarding dealing with the pharmacy industry. In terms of the two industries interactions, it has been observed that several financial flaws have been happening in several healthcare settings. As a result, serious accounting and audit flaws that consequently emanate from the malpractice compromise the integrity of the healthcare professionals. Generally, the procurement of drugs for use in the healthcare facilities is conducted depending on the availability of the drugs as offered by pharmaceutical companies. Competition among drugs supplying companies has led to an environment where drugs salespeople and medical representatives for other pharmaceutical products are deployed to woo clients from the healthcare environment. In a competitive market, unfair business deals always find their way into the market in an attempt to keep off competitors. Among the major unprofessional practices that such deals apply is the bargaining element that forces salesmen to supply products at the expense of business fairness regulations. Supply of substandard healthcare products is often embarked on in order to win sales, which compromises the level of healthcare service delivered by healthcare professionals. It therefore implies that colluding is almost impossible to be avoided by healthcare facility management in order to benefit in certai n ways. Due to certain conflicts of interests between the suppliers and the healthcare professionals, loopholes in internal control standards