Ionizing radiation as a food preservation method : state of the art

The conservation of food has always been a major concern for humans. Methods allowing it have appeared regularly over the centuries, including ionization. Ionization of food consists of exposing foodstuffs to radiation of sufficient energy to create ions. The effect of these on the biological agents present in the foodstuffs generally makes it possible to prolong the life of the foodstuffs and to improve the microbiological safety of these. The nature and the properties of the radiation used are obviously at the origin of the expected effects, but also of a wide societal controversy and a specific regulation. This bibliographical summary aims to take stock of this method of preserving foods in terms of the nature of the radiation used, their effects on micro-organisms and applications of this technique.