Subtopic: Preservation of food by cooling and freezing
Question Statement:
Which of the following sources of ionizing radiation are approved for commercial food irradiation by Codex Alimentarius and WHO/FAO/IAEA regulations?
Options:
(A) Gamma rays emitted from sealed radionuclides Cobalt-60 ($^{60}Co$) or Cesium-137 ($^{137}Cs$)
(B) High-energy machine electrons generated by linear particle accelerators operating at energies up to $10\text{ MeV}$
(C) Machine X-rays generated from bremsstrahlung radiation with electron energies up to $5\text{ MeV}$ (or $7.5\text{ MeV}$)
(D) Neutron beams from open nuclear reactor cores
Answer Key:
A, B, C
Step-by-Step Solution & Explanation
Only gamma rays ($^{60}Co, ^{137}Cs$), high-energy electron beams (up to $10\text{ MeV}$), and X-rays (up to $5-7.5\text{ MeV}$) are legally permitted (A, B, C) because their energy levels cannot induce radioactivity in foods. Neutron radiation (D) induces nuclear radioactivity and is strictly prohibited.