The factory, known as the first Iranian food processing factory to use plasma technology for food sterilization and decontamination, began operations in the city of Rafsanjan, a center of pistachio cultivation.
The plant has the capacity to process 3 tons of product per hour.
In the first phase of operation, the plant will decontaminate and process 6,000 tons per year of nuts such as pistachios, almonds and peanuts, as well as grains and pulses such as corn and oil grains.
Food irradiation is a process in which food is exposed to light to kill bacteria that cause food poisoning and extend its shelf life. It has the same benefits as heating, refrigerating, freezing, or treating food with chemicals, but without changing the temperature or leaving behind any residue.
Around the world, irradiation techniques are increasingly being used to preserve food. More than 60 countries around the world have introduced regulations that allow the use of irradiation in foods such as spices, grains, fruits, vegetables, and meat.
It can be used in place of potentially harmful chemical fumigants used to remove insects from dried fruits and grains.
According to FAO, nuclear technology has helped national authorities in more than 50 countries improve food safety by addressing the issue of hazardous residues and contaminants in food and improve traceability systems through stable isotope analysis. It is said that it is useful for
