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Development of Irradiated Foods for Immuno-compromised Patients and Other Potential Target Groups
Closed for proposals
Project Type
Project Code
D62009CRP
1515Approved Date
Status
Start Date
Expected End Date
Completed Date
22 October 2015Description
This project, developed by the Food and Environmental Protection Section of NAFA with the Nutrition Section of NAHU, will research and ultimately increase the range and variety of foods available for those with impaired immune systems (e.g. neutropenic1 patients) or patients who require other special foods, e.g. blended (nasogastric) hospital diets.
Irradiation has been employed in the past to sterilize foods for patients, but very few foods are currently irradiated specifically for this purpose and this technology is not utilised in most countries. Recent projects and published papers indicate that low dose treatments (irradiation without complete sterilization) can be used to provide foods that are suitable for hospital diets, and the generated data indicated that the foods nutritional quality was not severely effected and had favourable organoleptic qualities, resulting in an increase in the range of foods available for the immuno-compromised.
The project will research applications of irradiation alone or in combination with other food technologies at different locations. Researchers will use practices required for sanitary applications of food irradiation to meet requirements applicable to food for patients with compromised immunity. Acceptability will be evaluated in terms of both quantitative (microbiological safety, nutritional and organoleptic properties) and qualitative factors (psychological well-being, quality of life). It is envisioned that the project will involve the collaboration of food scientists, medical professionals and nutritionists. Standardised procedures will be developed, including quality assured handling and packaging procedures, accurate and traceable dosimetry and precisely defined assurance levels for microbiological acceptability.
Objectives
The overall objective is to utilize irradiation technology to increase the variety, availability and acceptability of foods for immuno-compromised patients and other potential target groups with special dietary needs, for example irradiated fresh produce (fruits, vegetables, salads), ready-to-eat meals (ethnic or locally produced) and functional foods. The allied objective is to generate data on the acceptability of irradiated foods in terms of both quantitative factors (microbiological safety, nutritional and organoleptic properties) and qualitative properties (psychological well-being, quality of life).
Secondary objectives include the development of microbiological criteria for foods intended for different target groups of patients based on the bacterial organisms of importance and dietary requirements as related to different age groups (infants, children, adults and the elderly). The acceptance of irradiated foods by the healthcare and regulatory communities will increase the development, marketing and commercialization of irradiated foods for hospital patients. This project could also lead to the use of irradiated foods by other potential target groups (e.g. space food, civil defence, outdoor activities).
Specific objectives
To research a range of simple irradiated foods (fresh fruits, vegetables and salads) and complex irradiated foods (including ready-to-eat meals) for immuno-compromised patients and potentially other target groups.
Impact
The main impact was in generating information and data that will enable the socio-economic potential of irradiated foods for hospital patients and people who need emergency food rations to be realized (i.e. the potential to market irradiated foods and for patients to benefit from availability of this food). There was some commercial uptake of the technology during the CRP but unfortunately this has not yet been widespread, this should be regarded as a long-term outcome but after the CRP: Pakistan is now using this technique to produce irradiated ration packs for their security services and as an emergency reserve (where half a million packs of irradiated ready-to-eat portions are produced per month as a direct impact of this CRP). Irradiated food rations packs developed by Indonesia have already been used as emergency rations in real situations. A participant from USA developed irradiated fresh fruits for vending machines. Pakistan has achieved increase in volumes of irradiated foods and a business in Argentina is commercializing a special irradiated nutritious bread developed by this CRP, there is also potential in China and Indonesia to soon achieve increased commercialization of new irradiated food products. An increased acceptance of irradiated foods by hospitals, medical professionals and others was partly achieved: Most countries tested foods with healthcare professionals, including nutritionists, but had difficulty in gaining the necessary approvals to undertake tests with patients due to it being a lengthy process to seek ethical approval for such research. This has limited uptake in the medical sector. However, Pakistan has tested foods in cancer patients and security forces, and Indonesia has tested foods in narcotic rehabilitation centres and in response to several emergencies (earthquakes, Tsunami's and mud slide incidents that displaced people required urgent assistance and food rations. Korea has also tested produced foods in cancer patients.
Relevance
This CRP has used irradiation technology develop a wide range of special foods for target groups with special dietary needs (e.g. immunocompromised patients who need "clean" diets and also emergency rations packs that have a long shelf life at ambient temperatures (without the need for refrigeration) and can be used to feed people in times of need. At the close of the CRP, a large range of different irradiated foods had been developed and tested produced. These were brought to the attention of the medical community, immunocompromised patients and others through working in collaboration with hospitals, healthcare professionals, and government agencies. Microbiological, nutritional and organoleptic data were generated for different irradiated foods and were published in the scientific literature. Surveys and qualitative analysis of the acceptability of irradiated foods (sensory tests) were conducted with hospital patients and others target groups. Acceptance has been high, but researchers were not always able to test the foods in the target groups (especially hospital patients). Cancer patients and security forces in Pakistan tested irradiated foods, and in Indonesia irradiated foods were tested in narcotic rehabilitation centres and by calamity victims. Cancer patients in the Republic of Korea also tested irradiated foods. Researchers in many other countries tested irradiated foods, but with healthcare professionals, including nutritionists. In many countries there was limited work directly with patients because of the difficulty in gaining the necessary ethical approvals. It is envisaged that the body of evidence generated and published on microbiological, nutritional and organoleptic properties of the irradiated foods studied will assist in promoting the wider acceptance of food irradiation.