- The act of exposing or the condition of being exposed to radiation.
- The use or application of ionizing radiation, especially in medical treatment and for the sterilization or preservation of food.
Dictionary:
ir·ra·di·a·tion (ĭ-rā'dē-ā'shən) ![]() |
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| Food and Nutrition: irradiation |
A method of sterilizing and disinfesting foods using ionizing radiation (X-rays or γ-rays) to kill micro-organisms and insects. Also used to inhibit sprouting of potatoes. See also microwave cooking; ultraviolet radiation.
| Food Lover's Companion: irradiation |
An FDA-approved process by which food is bombarded with low doses of high-frequency energy from gamma rays, X-rays or accelerated electrons. The purpose for this radiation is to extend shelf life by inhibiting maturation and decay through the elimination of microorganisms and insect invasion. Most foods processed with irradiation will last weeks instead of days. All irradiated foods must bear an international symbol-a plant within a broken circle. Exceptions to this rule are irradiated foods-such as spices and herbs-that are used as an ingredient in other food products. The jury is still out on the safety of irradiated foods. Of concern are potentially toxic elements that irradiation may produce in foods, as well as the possible long-term side effects of eating these treated products. Proponents suggest that irradiation serves as a substitute for many questionable chemicals and preservatives now used in food processing. Those foods currently approved by the FDA for irradiation treatment are: fruits, vegetables, dried spices, herbs, seasonings and teas, pork, white potatoes, wheat and wheat flours. Most food producers, however, have not taken advantage of that approval.
| Dental Dictionary: irradiation |
1. the exposure of material to roentgen or other radiation. (One speaks of radiation therapy but of irradiation of the patient.) 2. the exposure to radiation.
| World of the Mind: irradiation |
| Veterinary Dictionary: irradiation |
Exposure to radiant energy (heat, x-rays, etc.) for therapeutic or diagnostic purposes. See also radiation (3).
Irradiation of certain foods, including milk, kills harmful bacteria and prevents spoilage. X-ray photography is used in industrial research and in diagnosis of disorders within the body.
| Wikipedia: Irradiation |
| This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please improve this article if you can. (March 2008) |
Irradiation is the process by which an item is exposed to radiation. The exposure can be intentional, sometimes to serve a specific purpose, or it can be accidental. In common usage the term refers specifically to ionizing radiation, and to a level of radiation that will serve that specific purpose, rather than radiation exposure to normal levels of background radiation or abnormal levels of radiation due to accidental exposure. This term also applies to 'non-ionizing radiation as microwaves or to low frequency (50/60 Hz power supply), high frequency (as cellular phones, radio and TV transmissions).
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If administered at appropriate levels, all of these forms of radiation can be used to sterilize objects, a technique used in the production of medical instruments and disposables, such as syringes as well as in the disinfestation and sterilization of food. Small doses of ionizing radiation (electron beam processing, X-rays and gamma rays)[1] may be used to kill bacteria in food, or other organic material, including blood.[citation needed] Irradiation also includes (by the principle) microwave heating. Food irradiation, while effective, is seldom used due to public relations problems.[2]
It is also used in Diagnostic Imaging and cancer therapy.
Irradiation can furthermore be used in cross-linking of plastics or to improve material qualities of semi-precious stones. Due to its efficiency, electron beam processing is often used in the irradiation treatment of polymer-based products to improve the mechanical, thermal, and chemical properties, and often adding unique properties. Cross-linked polyethylene pipe (PEX), high-temperature products such as tubing and gaskets, wire and cable jacket curing, curing of composite materials, and crosslinking of tires are a few examples.
During the 2001 anthrax attacks, the US Postal Service irradiated mail to protect members of the US government and other possible targets. This can be of some concern to people, including artists; according to the ART in Embassies programme "incoming mail is irradiated, and the process destroys slides, transparencies and disks."[1]
After its discovery by Lewis Stadler at the University of Missouri, irradiation of seed and plant germplasm has resulted in creating many of the most widely grown strains of food crops worldwide.[citation needed] The process, which consists of striking plant seeds or germplasm by radiation in the form of X-rays, UV waves, heavy-ion beams, gamma rays, essentially "mixes" the genes already existing in genome[citation needed]. This does not pose the potentially dangerous consequences to biodiversity caused by genetically modified (GM) plants in which foreign genes are added to the genome of the plant.[citation needed] The UN has been active in this through the International Atomic Energy Agency[citation needed]. Irradiation is also employed to prevent sprouting of certain cereals, onions, potatoes and garlic.[3]. Appropriate irradiation doses] are also used to produce sterile insects to be used in the sterile insect technique.
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| Translations: Irradiation |
Dansk (Danish)
n. - belysning, bestråling, oplysning, strålen, udstrålen
Nederlands (Dutch)
(uit)straling, belichting, bestraling
Français (French)
n. - irradiation
Deutsch (German)
n. - Bestrahlung, Leuchten, Erleuchtung
Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - ακτινοβολία, ακτινοβόληση
Italiano (Italian)
irradiazione
Português (Portuguese)
n. - irradiação (f)
Русский (Russian)
освещение, излучение, сияние
Español (Spanish)
n. - irradiación
Svenska (Swedish)
n. - utstrålning, glans, bestrålning (av t.ex. frukt), irradiation (med.)
中文(简体)(Chinese (Simplified))
照耀, 光, 光线, 发光, 启迪
中文(繁體)(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 照耀, 光, 光線, 發光, 啟迪
한국어 (Korean)
n. - 발광, 계발, 라듐선 치료
日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 光を投ずること, 放射, 啓発, 啓蒙, 発光
العربيه (Arabic)
(الاسم) إشعاع, تعرض للأشعه
עברית (Hebrew)
n. - הקרנה, קרן אור, הארה (גם רוחנית), התפזרות האור על האמולסיה (צילום), תופעת התארכות הקצוות של עצם מואר הנראה על רקע חשוך
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![]() | Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more | |
![]() | Food and Nutrition. A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. Copyright © 1995, 2003, 2005 by A. E. Bender and D. A. Bender. All rights reserved. Read more | |
![]() | Food Lover's Companion. Food Lover's Companion. Copyright © 2001 by Barron's Educational Series, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more | |
![]() | Dental Dictionary. Mosby's Dental Dictionary. Copyright © 2004 by Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more | |
![]() | World of the Mind. The Oxford Companion to the Mind. Second Edition. Copyright © Oxford University Press, 2004. All rights reserved. Read more | |
![]() | Veterinary Dictionary. Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary 3rd Edition. Copyright © 2007 by D.C. Blood, V.P. Studdert and C.C. Gay, Elsevier. All rights reserved. Read more | |
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