On Sun, 19 Jun 2005 09:59:09 -0700, Jim Thompson
wrote:

On 19 Jun 2005 09:49:37 -0700, wrote:

It may not sound like a serious question, but it is.

Can one sterilise food using a beta emitter? I assume alpha would not
have the necessary penetrating power. Where could one get such beta
emitter, if anywhere?

Or might xrays be better?

The application is to extend food storage times in 3rd world countries,
and reduce bacterial contamination.

If its workable to put an emitter in a box with a lead or conrete lid,
with attached tongs to enable food to slde in and out without getting
fingers in there, it might possibly be a way to sterilise food with no
run cost and no energy use.

However... the probable showstoppers a
how much beta emission would be needed?
where can it be got from, if anywhere?
is the output level low enough to make it handleable in this way?

I think the answer is no to all of those, but worth asking


X rays are certainly more available, but a 25-50kV driver to power it
is not ideal. Could this be an option? A TV could produce +&- 24kV for
the job, not sure what sort of tube to go for though.


Thanks, NT

It's already being done here in the U.S., at least for military meals.
Seal in plastic, then irradiate.

I don't know what type of radiation is being used.

Of course it's being resisted for use in public consumption by the
loonie greenies, but it's certainly the correct answer for food
preservation AND stopping food-borne illness.

I sometimes think there should be a bounty offered for loonie
greenies, after all they ARE a terrorist group ;-)

...Jim Thompson


In the US, spices are commonly zapped to kill bugs, and some other
foods, I think. They use either gammas from an radioisotope source, or
electrons from an accelerator. Google 'food irradiation' or something.

Zapping chicken and certain seafoods would probably save a thousand
lives for every cancer produced.

John