India's Mobile Irradiators Gain IAEA Interest to Boost Food Shelf-life Internationally

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has expressed interest in India's mobile irradiators, which can extend the shelf-life of food products. Demonstrated at the IAEA office in Vienna last month, these irradiators could see wider global use. The IAEA Director General plans to visit India to explore further deployment in other nations.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has shown interest in mobile irradiators developed by India, which can be used to prolong the shelf-life of food products, a top official said on Tuesday.

Last month, an India-made mobile irradiator was demonstrated at the IAEA office in Vienna, said Department of Atomic Energy Secretary A K Mohanty during an event. 'The IAEA is interested. If India or BRIT (Board for Radiation and Isotope Technology, a wing under the DAE) can produce more mobile irradiators, the IAEA can install them in other countries. The Director-General of IAEA has written that he will be visiting India and if we can provide a few samples, the IAEA will deploy these in nations where they are most needed,' he stated.

Irradiators are useful for extending the shelf-life of food products and minimizing crop loss, Mohanty added, noting that the technology would be particularly beneficial in countries like Ghana, where ginger is a primary cash crop requiring preservation. At the BRIT complex event in Navi Mumbai, Mohanty, who also chairs the Atomic Energy Commission, launched an Industrial Radiography Device with applications in the chemical industry, energy sector, defense, and aerospace industry.