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Sunna Dosimeter(tm)

Caption: The Sunna Dosimeter(tm) is a small, plastic wafer that is being marketed to accompany food products during irradiation (cold pasteurization). The dosimeter ensures that products receive doses within regulatory requirements. Shining blue light on the irradiated dosimeter induces it to emit red light (fluorescence). The intensity of the red provides the dose value that the food received, with a high degree of accuracy. Cold pasteurization destroys pathogens like E. coli and Listeria. Cold-pasteurized hamburger and chicken, as well as some produce, will be available in a limited number of supermarkets soon, and are expected to be readily available to consumers in the next few years.

Credit: Courtesy of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

Usage Restrictions: Image courtesy of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Use of image shall not claim any expressed or implied affiliation with, or endorsement by, Battelle Memorial Institute, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory or the U.S. Department of Energy.