Comparison of the Effect of X-ray and Electron Beam Irradiation on Some Selected Spices

The effect of irradiation with X-rays and electron beams on the microbiological quality of white pepper, sweet red paprika and nutmeg was examined. Statistical analyses were performed on the data to interpret the results on coliforms, total mesophilic counts and thermophilic spores after irradiation with doses ranging from 0 to 10 kGy at different dose rates, 50 Gy/min for X-rays and 1 or 5 kGy/min for electron beams. It was concluded that for the selected dry spices no major differences between the two irradiation techniques were found. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) was employed to detect the ionizing treatment, using the produced radicals. No significant differences were observed between spectra of samples irradiated with electrons or X-rays.