Gamma Irradiation Technology

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology Dr Jitendra Singh said that India’s Nuclear Programme is for improving quality of life and not for causing harm to human life.

• Dr Jitendra Singh was chairing the meeting of the reconstituted Joint Hindi Salahkar Samiti of Department of Atomic Energy and Department Space at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi.

Applications of nuclear energy and radiation

• Dr Jitendra Singh said that applications of nuclear energy and radiation have played a significant role in the field of electricity production, agriculture, medicine, health, food preservation, improved seeds varieties, water purification technologies, urban waste management technologies, industrial application of radioisotopes and radiation technologies particularly in petroleum industry.

Uses of Gamma Irradiation Technology

• Gamma irradiation involves exposure of the materials to be sterilized to gamma rays from cobalt-60 or cesium-137 radionucleotides

• The Minister also informed that Gamma Irradiation Technology is used for inhibition of sprouting in bulbs and tubes, insect disinfestation of cereals, pulses and grains, microbial decontamination (hygienization) of dry spices etc., for preservation/shelf life extension by applying pre-determined radiation doses.

• He said, even during COVID pandemic, the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) came out with novel innovations like COVID BEEP, India’s first indigenous, cost effective, wireless physiological parameters monitoring system for COVID-19 patients.