A survey was conducted to examine the effect of food irradiation education on college students' knowledge and acceptance of food irradiation. The instrument for the knowledge and acceptance of food irradiation was administered before and after food irradiation education, to 150 students majoring in food and nutrition or food technology in the Chungnam National University. Before the education approximately 93% of the respondents did not know that radioactivity dose not remain in food after irradiation; whereas, after education half of them thought that radioactivity dose not remain in irradiated food. Knowledge about food irradiation has improved through education. The education significantly increased all the mean scores of need for food irradiation and willingness to use irradiated foods for the six food groups (p<0.01). The education significantly decreased the mean scores of concern about the irradiated food for all the six food groups (p<0.01). Although the responses to irradiated foods are, in general, negative or neutral even after education, the mean scores of acceptance of the irradiated foods have improved through education in all the six food groups (p<0.01). In conclusion, this study showed that food irradiation education may positively affect the college students' knowledge and acceptance of food irradiation, and that the development of both the appropriate detection methods to identify irradiated foods and the education programs to enlighten the college students are needed.

A survey was conducted to examine the knowledge and acceptance of food irradiation in order to provide baseline data required in the development of food irradiation education programs for college students. 150 students majoring in food and nutrition or food technology in the Chungnam National University were chosen for a survey. The results are as follows. First, college students' knowledge about food irradiation is scanty. Knowledge assessment showed that 56% of the participants had previously heard of food irradiation. 68% of the respondents thought that radioactivity remains in food after irradiation and 25.3% of them were not sure whether radioactivity remains in food after irradiation or not. Only half of the respondents thought that nutrient loss due to irradiation is equal to or lower than that due to cooking or freezing. Second, approximately 56% of the respondents showed that food irradiation is somewhat or strongly needed for meat or fish; whereas, over 60% of them showed that food irradiation is not needed for grain, vegetable and fruit. Almost 40% of the respondents were seriously concerned about irradiation of vegetables and fruits; whereas, they showed less concern about spice irradiation. More than half of the respondents were not willing to use irradiated food in all the six food groups. Third, the correlation analysis showed that the need of food irradiation is negatively correlated with concerning about the irradiated fish and fruits, but positively correlated with willingness to use irradiated food in all the five food groups, except in spices. Concern about the irradiated food is negatively correlated with willingness to use irradiated food from all the six food groups. Fourth, almost all the respondents (over 90%) agreed that the irradiated food labeling is required as well as the development of proper methods to identify irradiated foods.

Electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy was used to detect irradiated chicken eggs, to investigate the effect of irradiation dose on the ESR signal intensity and to identify the stability of radicals under 77 days of storage. Raw chicken eggs were irradiated with doses of 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 3 and 5 kGy at room temperature using a Co-60 irradiator. The samples were prepared by separating, drying and powdering shells from the raw eggs. The irradiated chicken egg shells presented an asymmetric absorption in shape at g₁=2.0023±0.00004 and g₂=1.9979±0.00005, different from the non-irradiated ones. The strength of the ESR signal increased linearly with the applied doses (to 5 kGy). The intensity of the ESR signals after irradiation were stable even after 77-day of storage at 5℃ and/or room temperature.