Gamma irradiation technology to preservation of foodstuffs as an effort to maintain quality and acquaint the significant role of nuclear on food production to Indonesia society: A Review

Technology of irradiation was appropriate technology that can be used for preserving food. Nuclear irradiation technology in the field of food, besides being able to preserve food, can also sterilize certain foodstuffs in an effort to create food security. The advantages of this technology are efficient energy and materials, easily controlled, no residues and its' environmentally friendly. However, due to the lack of socialization and education about nuclear utilization, there are still many communities especially Indonesian which assume that nuclear is a dangerous thing especially its' radiation which can damage gene so that need to be avoided. In fact, food irradiation has been researched, tested and examined in depth for more than 50 years, and currently has entered the take off stage for commercial use in many countries. In Indonesia, this technology has been legalized since 1987, and used by six types of food companies as an irradiation technology for commercial purposes. Irradiation technology still need to be developed and promoted so that it can be used widely through the regulation that arranged by the governments to increase the people's knowledge about the benefit of nuclear. In addition, irradiated products and the research result of the technology should be published and socialized in a variety of marketing effort not only to the scientific community but also to the public, so that food irradiation products can be recognized and accepted by Indonesia society.