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<br /> . c <br /> H I HAWAII ISLAND CONTRACTORS' ASSOCIATION <br /> 494 C KALANIKOA STREET • HILO, HAWAII 96720 PHONE (808) 935-1316 FAX (808) 934-7779 <br /> grow and alert consumers to spoilage before botulism-causing bacteria can produce toxin. <br /> 6. Does irradiation cause chemical changes in food, producing substances not <br /> known to be present in non-irradiated food? <br /> Yes, irradiation does produce chemical changes in foods. These substances, <br /> called "radio-lytic products", may sound mysterious, but they are not. They <br /> have been scrutinized by scientists in making safety assessments of <br /> irradiated foods. Any kind of treatment causes chemical changes in food. For instance, heat <br /> treatment, or cooking, produces chemicals that could be <br /> called "thermolytic products." Scientists find the changes in food created <br /> by irradiation minor to those created by cooking. The products created by <br /> cooking are so significant that consumers can smell and taste them, whereas only a chemist with <br /> extremely sensitive lab equipment may be able to detect radio lytic products. <br /> 7. Will my risks of radiation exposure increase significantly if I live next to an <br /> irradiator? <br /> No. The use and transportation of radioactive materials, including the <br /> facilities in which they are used and the equipment in those facilities, is <br /> closely monitored by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, state agencies and the Department of <br /> Transportation. <br /> The radioactive material itself is sealed within two layers of metal that <br /> prevent corrosion and oxidation. When shipped, it is placed within brick <br /> layers of lead that prevent gamma rays from escaping. <br /> Facilities must include many safety features to prevent both environmental and worker <br /> exposure. For example, when radioactive cobalt is in the storage position in an irradiator, it is <br /> under water and otherwise shielded. The irradiator is operated by remote control, and many <br /> other protections are required to prevent workers form entering the irradiation enclosure. <br /> 8: For what other purposes is irradiation technology now_ used in the United <br /> States? <br /> In addition to cancer treatment, irradiation is used for many purposes, <br /> including: performing security checks on hand luggage at airports, making <br /> tires more durable, sterilizing manure for gardens, making non-stick <br /> cookware coatings, purifying wool, sterilizing medical products like <br /> surgical gloves, and destroying bacteria in cosmetics. <br /> 9. Are irradiated foods on the market now? <br /> 3 <br /> <br />