Viet Nam improves food safety and increases agricultural productivity and sustainability by using nuclear science
Viet Nam is one of the countries most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Record-breaking high temperatures, precipitation and humidity are driving the country’s insect pests to new geographic areas.
These pests pose a serious threat to Viet Nam’s agriculture, which accounts for a quarter of its GDP and provides 60% of the country’s population with their livelihood.
The intensifying heat also makes foodborne infections and toxins more common and supports the spread of fungal growth. Thanks to IAEA assistance, Viet Nam is using nuclear technology to improve food safety and increase agricultural productivity and sustainability.
By irradiating food — using X-rays or gamma rays — Viet Nam can ensure food safety, hindering the spread of pathogens and pests, preventing foodborne illnesses and extending the shelf life of food products that would have otherwise spoiled due to the growth of bacteria and fungi.
◼︎ What is Food Irradiation?
Irradiation is the exposure of a substance to beams of electromagnetic radiation. By using higher frequency beams to ionize food products briefly, irradiation kills organisms that cause spoilage, destroys microbes responsible for food poisoning, and slows down ripening.
Depending on the dose, food irradiation ensures that
● root vegetables and fruits do not sprout or ripen prematurely;
● parasites are killed and spices are decontaminated;
● salmonella are destroyed;
● fungi that could spoil meat, poultry and seafood are eliminated; and
● food shipments meet international safety regulations in place to prevent the spread of pests and diseases.
◼︎ IAEA helps Viet Nam to enhance food safety
The IAEA has been supporting Viet Nam on food irradiation since 1999, supplying both a gamma irradiator and an e-beam irradiator, as well as providing training in their use.
The IAEA’s technical cooperation programme supported the training of staff at the Viet Nam Atomic Energy Institute’s Research and Development Center for Radiation Technology (VINAGAMMA), which is responsible for carrying out irradiation in the country.
Gamma irradiators use tall aluminum boxes, which can accommodate a broad range of product sizes. The boxes are moved through the irradiation chamber around the radioactive source suspended on an overhead monorail system. Products require two rounds of irradiation to ensure all sides of the packaged product have been treated.
Tall aluminum boxes filled with food products await irradiation using the gamma irradiator.
Tall aluminum boxes filled with food products await irradiation using the gamma irradiator.
◼︎ Irradiation is versatile and can be used on a variety of foods — from pre-packaged products to food in cold storage and frozen products like seafood.
◼︎ Irradiation does not affect the quality of food, as it does not increase its temperature or leave traces of radiation or other residues.
Electron beam irradiators (e-beams) stream electrons through a machine powered by electricity. Electrons are negatively charged and small enough to interact with food atoms relatively quickly. The food products must be directly in contact with the beam, so that only smaller quantities can be irradiated at one time.
Food products undergo irradiation processes at VINAGAMMA using an electron beam irradiator.
Food products undergo irradiation processes at VINAGAMMA using an electron beam irradiator.
Thanks to irradiation, Viet Nam now processes more than 14,000 tonnes of food each year for safe consumption.
In total, food products have been irradiated in Viet Nam for more than 50 years. Originally only expensive products like spices were irradiated, but now the market for other irradiated food products is flourishing.
Tropical fruit and mangoes from Viet Nam are a particularly popular export. The value of fruit and vegetable exports from Viet Nam increased by 350% from 2012 to 2019, with growing demand from the US, EU and China, according to the Asian Development Bank.
The IAEA promotes nuclear-based solutions to preserve and restore the environment from climate-related weather events and disasters through the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions, adaptation to and monitoring of the adverse consequences of climate change.
Share by clicking on social media icons on top right of this page
The IAEA looks forward to strengthening and establishing partnerships to support Member States towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and the implementation of the Paris Agreement in areas such as energy, sustainable land use, climate smart agriculture, food production systems, analysis of global greenhouse gas emissions, water management, and oceans and coastal protection. The IAEA brings together experts, coordinates research, and fosters cooperation between countries to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change.
Built with Shorthand