Emerging Technologies for Food Processing, 2nd Edition

16.3. Gamma and X-ray Irradiation

16.3.1. Gamma and X-ray Irradiation for the Treatment of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

All fruits and vegetables are perishable because their physiological activities continue after harvest, and because they are affected by postharvest fungal diseases, other pathological breakdown processes and insect infestation. Tropical fruit losses are frequently attributable to deterioration during handling, transport, and storage. An effective preservation technique for fresh fruits and vegetables should have various characteristics: it should be effective and efficient as a postharvest treatment; it should maintain the commodity's qualities and nutrients; it should control insect larvae and eggs; and it should have synergistic ...