'No fear if it's nuclear'

Contrary to popular misconception all radiation is not harmful In fact radiation has been playing a radioactive part in improving the quality of life in various spheres primarily agriculture Safe source The team of scientists doctors and officials from the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre BARC with crop varieties and irradiated food products which they spoke about L to R Dr Gaurav Malhotra Senior Scientist Radiation Medicine Centre Dr A K Sharma Head Food Technology Division Dr K B Sainis Director BioMedical Group Dr S G Bhagwat Head Nuclear Agriculture and Biotechnology Division Dr MGR Rajan Head Radiation Medicine Centre and R K Singh Head Public Awareness Division and Spokesperson PicAtul Kamble Explaining this a team of scientists from the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre BARC showed mediapersons in the city recently how radiation technology has led to better crops and fruit harvests The seminar on lsquoRadiation and Quality of Lifersquo was organized by the Press Club along with the BARC Storage practices Dr A K Sharma Head of the Food Technology Division said that while much attention is paid to treating crops at the growing stage postharvest technology tends to get neglected Bad storage practices often lead to food spoiling while it is stored and causes colossal waste which can easily be avoided Radiation processing of food Dr Sharma explained consists of exposing food to controlled doses of ionized radiation Irradiation does not make food radioactive he clarified adding that it is an effective alternative to chemical fumigants for controlling infestation and deterioration It is safe for the environment and human health much the same as microwave energy he said Varying doses By manipulating doses it is possible to do many things with the same technology Dr Sharma said For storing and transporting fish meat and meat products radiation processing results in enhanced shelf life improved microbial safety and sterile shelfstable products Radiation processing of spices and herbs is also a safe alternative to fumigants When it comes to fruits and vegetables radiation processing can go a long way in eliminating the 3035 per cent of spoilage and perishing that occurs during postharvest storage he added Irradiation inhibits sprouting in tubers such as potato delays ripening in fruits by more than a week and can be used as a quarantine treatment to replace fumigants This method of quarantine treatment is what enabled India to begin exporting mangoes to the US in 2007 after radiation treatment was allowed and carried out at the BARC unit in Lasalgaon Insect control Radiation processing of cereals and legumes at low doses destroys all metamorphic stages of insects and sterilizes adult insects thereby effectively controlling insect infestation he said The team displayed samples of grains and pulses grown at the BARCrsquos Trombay premises using radiation treatment Dr S G Bhagwat Head Nuclear Agriculture and Biotechnology Division said the twin aims of radiation processing are making food affordable and ensuring it is nutritionally adequate Radiation processing can be used for inducing mutations and producing new varieties of plants which may not be possible by hybridization he said Also it can make the precise change that is required and thus gives greater control over developing new varieties ldquoOur scientists have been working on many crops which have given us altogether 41 different varieties of cropsrdquo he said ldquoThe most successful is our groundnut programme in which we have produced 15 new varietiesrdquo He said that radiation technology is becoming increasingly popular and educational institutes research organizations and private companies have also been using this technology showing that more and more people are being convinced about its utility Nuclear medicine Dr Gaurav Malhotra Senior Scientist Radiation Medicine Centre said that nuclear medicine has uses far beyond the generally known Xrays and CT scans It can also detect heart disease arterial blockage and kidney disease he said Allaying fears about overuse of radiation he said that it is the responsibility of every practitioner of nuclear medicine to follow the ALARA principle or As Low As Reasonably Achievable limit to avoid unnecessary radiation Dr K B Sainis Director of the BioMedical Group explained that radiation is actually all around us in the environment in many different forms Monitoring radiation One of the things that BARC does is monitor environmental radiation through its Environmental Assessment Division using monitors located all over the country Alerts are sounded in case of increase in radiation but otherwise people have lived with natural radiation without problems such as in Kollam and Alappuzha districts of Kerala he said Answering questions about cell tower radiation Dr Sainis clarified that nuclear radiation is more intense and very different from microwave radiation that emanates from cell towers Nuclear radiation similar to Xrays and CT scans does not remain in the body he said Core areas of research and development conducted at BARC gtgt New crop varieties in oil seeds and pulses Using radiationinduced mutagenesis and hybridization these new crop varieties have been developed released and Gazettenotified for commercial cultivation gtgt Micropropagation protocols for banana sugarcane pineapple potato turmeric ginger and medicinal plants gtgt Protocols for direct and indirect somatic embryogenesis have been established in banana grapes and sugarcane gtgt Cellular and molecular basis of stress tolerance in bacteria and plants gtgt Biological systems for remediation of organic and inorganic pollutants and development of biosensors gtgt Transgenic plants for improving biotic resistance and enhanced remediation of heavy metals gtgt Preservation disinfestation or hygienization of primary secondary and tertiary food products and also for quarantine treatment of exportable agricultural commodities gtgt Biological and health effects of chronic high level natural radiation on human population residing in high background radiation areas of Kerala gtgt Studies on mechanism of radiation effects in mammalian systems at low doses radiation signalling and bystander effectu00a0