**7. Conclusion**

Food irradiation involves many intricate issues, but if consumers are educated on the benefits, it can be an effective process of reducing microorganisms which cause food spoilage and human illness. It is time to educate the consumers and increase their knowledge and awareness of gamma irradiation as a technology intended to increase the quality and the safety of food, especially fresh produce. Consumer acceptance of food irradiation will definitely influence the intensity to which irradiation gets accepted as an alternative food processing technology.

#### **8. References**


and the Three Mile Island (United States) and from nuclear waste disposal. For many, food irradiation is a process that creates the same fear as the word, radiation. Some consumers mistake the association of food irradiation with nuclear radiation, and food irradiation opponents use this as their most effective tool of negative influence. During food irradiation, food is not in contact with radioactive source and therefore, food can not be radioactive

Conley (1992) advocates that in the US, the Food Safety and Inspection Service FSIS and the National Agricultural Library in cooperation with other food-related agencies such as the FDA should provide education materials to consumers regarding food irradiation. Consumers favor food irradiation after they are given science-based information including product benefits, safety and wholesomeness of irradiated products (Bruhn, 1998; Bruhn, C.M., and Schutz, H.G. 1989). Previous studies indicate that educational activities and science-based information increase consumer acceptance of irradiated foods (Resurreccion et al., 1995; Bruhn, 1998; Fox & Olson, 1998). Nayga et al. (2004) reported that consumers are "willing to pay" premiums for irradiated food depending on the awareness and background

Food irradiation involves many intricate issues, but if consumers are educated on the benefits, it can be an effective process of reducing microorganisms which cause food spoilage and human illness. It is time to educate the consumers and increase their knowledge and awareness of gamma irradiation as a technology intended to increase the quality and the safety of food, especially fresh produce. Consumer acceptance of food irradiation will definitely influence the intensity to which irradiation gets accepted as an

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**13** 

*México* 

**Current Importance and Potential** 

L. G. Iglesias-Andreu, P. Octavio-Aguilar and J. Bello-Bello

It is well known that ionizing radiation is currently a very important way to create genetic variability that is not exists in nature or that is not available to the breeder (Ahloowalia & Maluszynski, 2001; Lemus *et al.*, 2002). Therefore, there are many papers aimed to determine the best radiation dose to applied in plant breeding work. As a result it has been defined intervals gamma radiation useful for many cultivated species, though the determination of the radiosensitivity of tissues by exposure to different intensities of radiation (De la Fe *et al.*, 1996; Castillo *et al.*, 1997; Fuchs *et al.*, 2002; Lemus *et al.*, 2002; Fuentes *et al.*, 2004; Ramírez *et al.*, 2006). However, most studies have been conducted have been designed to evaluate the biological response to high doses of radiation, while in relatively few studies have used low doses to stimulate physiological processes (radiostimulation) although the ionizing radiation hormesis has been widely supported (Luckey, 1980). Hormesis is the excitation, or stimulation, by small doses of any agent in any sistem (Luckey, 2003). The beneficial effect of hormesis has been well documented in species of agricultural importance (Zaka *et al.*, 2004; Kim *et al.*, 2005). However, there is not enough information about its use in forestry. Although little is known about the basic nature of this phenomenon, Vaiserman (2010) had indicated the possible relationship between the hormesis and epigenetic effects. The application of low-dose ionizing radiation could produce in coniferous species hormetics radiostimulants effects through genetic and epigenetic changes that manifest as adaptive

In Mexico and especially in many natural populations of conifers from Veracruz such as *Pinus hartwegii* Lindl., and *Abies religiosa* Kunth (Schltdl.) *et.* Cham., both located in Cofre de Perote, Ver., are seriously affected mainly by the high load of lethal alleles which are causing a serious reduction in reproductive rate and a significant decrease in the production

Despite the usefulness of using ionizing radiation to increase the germination potential and generating useful mutations in forestry, there are not many references in the literature on the use of nuclear techniques in these species (Iglesias *et al.,* 2010). Therefore, in this

**1. Introduction** 

responses.

and quality of its seed (Iglesias *et al.,* 2006).

**Use of Low Doses of Gamma** 

**Radiation in Forest Species** 

*Instituto de Biotecnología y Ecología Aplicada, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Veracruz,* 

