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Pros and Cons of Commercial Irradiation of Fresh
Iceberg Lettuce and Fresh Spinach: A Literature Review – Part III. Food
Quality Source of Article: http://www.marlerblog.com/2008/11/articles/lawyer-oped/pros-and-cons-of-commercial-irradiation-of-fresh-iceberg-lettuce-and-fresh-spinach-a-literature-review-part-iii-food-quality/#more Introduction Part
I and Part
II of this series reviewed the historical background and technology of
food irradiation, and the food safety implications relating to FDA’s recent
approval of a new rule for use of ionizing irradiation as a processing step
in fresh iceberg lettuce and spinach. This segment summarizes state-of-the
art knowledge of the pros and cons (advantages and limitations) of using
ionizing radiation to enhance the quality of fresh iceberg lettuce and
spinach. The term “food quality” encompasses all of the objective and
subjective factors that contribute to a food’s wholesomeness, nutritional
value, and sensory attributes. Peri (2006)
succinctly defined food quality as: “fitness for consumption,” in other
words, “the requirements necessary to satisfy the needs and expectations of
the consumer.” Ionizing Radiation as a Food Preservation Technique Irradiation is one of many food preservation techniques. As discussed in
Part I, food irradiation is not new, but the application of this technology
to fresh lettuce and spinach was only recently approved in the The quality of any fresh food deteriorates after harvest, in part, due to
the action of spoilage organisms (e.g., bacteria, fungi). Spoilage leads to
loss of nutrients and negative effects on the flavor and appearance of fresh
food over time. The negative effects of deterioration could be avoided if
consumers were able to prepare and eat foods almost immediately after the
food leaves the farm. But, for most consumers this scenario is not practical
on a year-around basis. The search for efficient and effective methods to
preserve the safety, quality, and nutritional value of perishable foods
during transportation and storage, while simultaneously maintaining the
benefits of the original fresh product, has been an ongoing challenge across
the ages of civilization. The earliest examples of food preservation include cooking/boiling, cold
storage (refrigeration/freezing), drying, and salting. To this day, these
traditional methods remain a cornerstone in the prevention of food spoilage
and waste, worldwide. Examples of more recent historical developments in food
preservation include pasteurization and canning. In the modern age, the food processing industry has addressed the unique
food preservation challenges associated with fresh produce by introducing
novel approaches such as the use of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) and
wash water disinfectants, especially for fresh-cut, minimally processed
produce. Temperature control (refrigeration) continues to be the most
important approach to preserving the quality and safety of fresh produce.
Irradiation of fresh lettuce and spinach represents a new tool in the produce
preservation toolbox. The following are examples of current approaches to
achieve food quality preservation of fresh produce that may be used
individually, or in combination, depending on the specific product. • Refrigeration Irradiation and the Fresh-Cut Produce Industry It is worth noting that many of the produce-related papers in this review
address “fresh-cut” fruits and vegetables. Fresh-cut (also termed “minimally
processed” or “value-added”) is defined as ready-to-eat, raw fruits and
vegetables that have been peeled, chopped, shredded, or similarly processed.
Fresh-cut leafy greens are usually pre-washed with a disinfectant (e.g.,
chlorine) and are packaged, sometimes in a modified atmosphere (reduced
oxygen) to preserve the food quality. The packages range from individual
containers that consumers purchase at the grocery store to institutional size
packages sold to restaurants, hospitals, correctional facilities, and other
facilities that serve large populations. Fresh-cut is differentiated from raw
commodities such as whole lettuce heads and mature bunch spinach. Application of Ionizing Radiation to Control Spoilage Organisms:
The Shelf Test Most retailers and consumers have experienced the disappointment of
discarding spoiled fresh lettuce and spinach that was not sold or consumed,
respectively, before the “use by” date. The “shelf-life,” defined as the
length of time a product can be stored without becoming unsuitable for
consumption, is relatively short for fresh produce (for example, 10-14 days
for fresh spinach), which can lead to food waste. Plant bacterial and fungal
pathogens are a major cause of lettuce and spinach spoilage during storage.
Spoilage results in off-odors, “slimy” or “rotten” textures, and leaf
deterioration. Because fresh-cut lettuce and spinach processing, in
particular, introduces plant wounds/lesions, these products may be more
vulnerable to microbial growth of spoilage organisms. The most important
spoilage problems and species involved for lettuce and spinach include: • Bacterial soft rot: Erwinia, Pseudomonas Similar to foodborne pathogen reduction, the
approved dosages for irradiation of lettuce and spinach significantly reduce
spoilage bacterial levels (3-5 logs), and the process thereby extends
shelf-life. The mechanism for control by irradiation is the same for spoilage
organisms and foodborne pathogens. Thus, a major
advantage to using ionizing irradiation as a microbial control step is its
simultaneous impact on reducing food spoilage organisms and foodborne pathogens. However, the effectiveness of
irradiation in controlling both plant and human pathogens depends on the
initial quality of the iceberg lettuce or spinach coming from the field and
processing plant prior to irradiation. As discussed previously, irradiation
is not a replacement for good agricultural practices and good manufacturing
processes; furthermore, irradiation does not “sterilize” the lettuce/spinach,
and eventually the product will spoil. Everyone across the food chain,
including the consumer, must still take precautions to prevent spoilage
through proper handling, especially temperature control (refrigeration). Effect of Ionizing Radiation on Nutrient Content: The Popeye Test Popeye the Sailor is the iconic symbol of the benefits of eating spinach.
The cartoon legend purportedly gains his superhero strength from iron in
canned spinach. Indeed, there is no doubt that spinach (fresh, frozen, or
canned) is highly nutritious, and the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) value for
spinach is classified as “good” for iron (and calcium, fiber). Spinach is
also considered an “excellent” source of vitamins A, C, K, and folate. In contrast, iceberg lettuce is only an
“excellent” source of vitamin K. Every food processing technique is subjected to intense scrutiny by
nutritionists in the academic and regulatory world to determine the positive
and negative effects on nutrient content. Food irradiation is no different,
and there is an abundant amount of studies in the scientific literature
describing the effect of ionizing radiation on nutrient quality of specific
foods under specific conditions. Prior to analyzing the results of these studies for any food, it is
critical to consider two general key questions: 1) Is the nutrient sensitive to ionizing irradiation in the food product? Nutrients are divided into two broad categories: macronutrients
(carbohydrates, protein/essential amino acids, fats/lipids, water) and
micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). Notably, water is the largest
component of iceberg lettuce (96%) and spinach (92%). Lettuce and spinach are
not major contributors to macronutrients (carbohydrate, fat/lipid, protein)
in the diet, and are therefore not significant in the nutritional evaluation
of irradiation effects. Likewise, irradiation does not significantly impact
minerals (including Popeye’s iron). Vitamins are divided into two groups based on their solubility in water.
The water soluble vitamins are more sensitive to destruction by irradiation.
Specifically, radiation can break bonds in some vitamin molecules causing
inactivation. Also, irradiation produces free radicals that can combine with
antioxidant vitamins and cause the vitamin to lose its activity. Below is a
summary of the impacts of ionizing radiation on the four important vitamins
in fresh spinach and/or lettuce. • Vitamin A (pro-vitamin caratenoids): this fat
soluble vitamin is relatively resistant to radiation. An older study by Overall, the vitamin losses following medium-dose irradiation of fresh
iceberg lettuce and spinach are relatively insignificant, especially compared
with losses due to storage time and temperature abuse. As perspective,
researchers from Sensory Evaluations: The Taste Test “Sensory science” is a field of “psychophysics.” It is the scientific
study of the senses and psychological responses to stimuli, for example:
taste/flavor, appearance/color, texture, and aroma/odor of food. Although
consumers will differ in opinion when evaluating these subjective qualities
of food, sensory science utilizes trained “panelists” and statistical
analyses to quantify the sensory attributes. Additionally, qualities such as
texture and color can be measured using objective criteria such as
electrolyte loss (associated with “sogginess”) and chlorophyll loss (color
changes) in lettuce and spinach leaves under different conditions. Fan and his research team at the In 2008, Fan and Sokorai describe the results of
a comprehensive study of food quality effects of irradiation on 13 fresh-cut
vegetables including iceberg lettuce packaged in air, iceberg lettuce in MAP,
and spinach in MAP. Based on previous studies, they chose a dose of 1 kGy, and compared quality characteristics over 14 days of
storage in two groups: irradiated vegetables and non-irradiated/control
vegetables. They found: • No significant differences in texture between the irradiated and control
groups for iceberg lettuce and spinach during 14 days of storage. Notably, there were few studies in the literature comparing different
packaging materials, styles (e.g., bag, clam shell), and sizes (individual,
institutional) specific for fresh iceberg lettuce and spinach. This research
will be needed to fully evaluate the effects of radiation on food quality,
and optimize the dose for commercial processing of fresh iceberg lettuce and
spinach. Summary In summary, the food quality literature relating to irradiation of fresh
iceberg lettuce and spinach suggests that the process has the following pros
and cons: Pros • Reduction of spoilage microorganisms, which may translate into increased
shelf-life and less food waste Cons • In general, as the dose increases, the log reduction of susceptible
spoilage organisms (and foodborne pathogens) also
increases, but the increased dose (especially over 2 kGy)
may have negative effects on nutrients and sensory attributes Taken together, the food safety and food quality literature review shows
that the pros can be balanced against the cons of ionizing radiation with
optimization of the process. In other words, the technology is not “one size
fits all,’ and each type of product and packaging material must be evaluated
to identify conditions that both promote food safety and preserve food
quality. The experts frequently recommend a “hurdle approach” that employs a
combination of treatments designed to minimize the radiation dose while
maximizing the positive effects on microbial control and food quality. In the final part of this series (Part IV), the costs versus the benefits
for industry and consumers of implementing commercial irradiation into fresh
lettuce and spinach processing will be discussed. In addition, the literature
on consumer acceptance, and how irradiation of fresh lettuce and spinach may
impact consumer confidence in the leafy green supply, will be analyzed. References 1. Anonymous. 1994. Safety and nutritional adequacy of irradiated food.
World Health Organization, Posted on November 3, 2008 by Food Poisoning Attorney |
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