EFFECT OF POLYCHROMATIC LOW ENERGY X-RAY ON MICROORGANISMS AND BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS OF BIRD'S NEST AND CARDAMOM

Abstract

Food irradiation is an important processing method and it is widely used around the world. It is not accepted by many countries in world as it is considered unsafe for human consumption. Safer irradiation methods are being developed all over the world to make irradiation method suitable for all food products. To avoid this problem this polychromatic low energy x-ray irradiation technique was developed. This study was separated into 2 parts based on the objectives of the research. First study was designed to study the effect of low energy polychromatic x-ray on endospore forming bacteria Bacillus pumilus to study the inactivation kinetics. Second study was focused on effect of irradiation on the nutritional composition of the irradiated food samples. This study proved that the foods irradiated by low energy polychromatic x-ray were radioactively and chemically safe for human consumption.