Beyond Preservation: a Systematic Review on the Impact of Ionizing Radiation on Food Functionality

Abstract

Irradiation stands out as a prominent technology for eliminating potentially hazardous organisms from food items and extending shelf life. Beyond its traditional role, there is a growing interest in its capacity to enhance the nutritional quality and functionality of food. Despite various research endeavors in this domain, a systematic literature synthesis has been notably absent. Thus, following the PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a systematic review to bridge the knowledge gap by comparing existing studies on the usage of ionizing radiation in connection to food functionality. A set of quality criteria were applied to assess the studies and identified 144 high-quality studies. Analysis of data during the present work revealed that gamma radiation was the most used type of radiation for irradiating functional food, and the most common enhancement mechanism exhibited by irradiated functional food was the elevation of bioactive compounds, particularly antioxidants. Cancer and allergies were the most frequently targeted diseases associated with irradiated food. Our findings provide valuable insights into the potential benefits and applications of food irradiation in the functional food sector and may inform future R&D in the field.