TY - JOUR TI - Radiation preservation of fish and by-products AB - The desirability of making the irradiation of fish and fishery products the subject of common experiments in the South and South East Asian and Far East region was based on studies carried out in various laboratories in the region, as well as the findings of a Technical Assistance Mission to the area in 1971/72, and an FAO/IAEA Study Group Meeting on Food Irradiation in Bangkok (1971). As a result, fish preservation by irradiation was among the first topics suggested for collaborative studies under the IAEA-sponsored Regional Agreement for Research, Development and Training Related to Nuclear Science and Technology (RCA), which became operational in June 1972. Following an FAO/IAEA Panel meeting on Aspects of the Introduction of Food Irradiation in Developing Countries at Bombay, in November 1972, it was suggested that collaborative fish irradiation studies be initiated as the first regional project under the RCA. A meeting of scientists authorized to represent the Governments willing to participate in the venture, was recommended. This plan was accepted by an informal meeting of Government Representatives on the future of the RCA held during the 17th Session of the General Conference of the IAEA in Vienna in 1973. The offer of the Philippine Government to host the initiating meeting was accepted, and the Working Group to launch the Asian Regional Project on Radiation Preservation of Fish and Fishery Products (RPF) met in November 1973 in Manila. This meeting was attended by representatives of Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Korea, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. The Federal Republic of Germany and Japan sent observers who also served as consultants and greatly contributed to the scientific deliberations. The Working Group accepted a Project Agreement draft which foresees regional co-ordination of the scientific programme by common planning, distribution of labour and reporting at annual co-ordination meetings. To achieve these goals, the Governments will make scientific facilities (equipment, materials, etc.) available, for the purpose of common work. Each Government pledges to provide the services of personnel required to operate, maintain and administer its installations and to bear the costs. The Governments make available, at their installations, places for foreign scientists nominated by the Agency or by the other participating Governments, for work in the RPF. Participating Governments will also send scientists to other countries to conduct collaborative research on RPF. According to the draft agreement, the IAEA will facilitate the exchange of scientific and technical personnel among installations in different participating countries by means of its Fellowship system. It will also assist in the compilation, publication and distribution of the results of the RPF. In addition, the Agency will consider granting research contracts and assist in securing materials, services, equipment and facilities needed for the RPF three-fold at the minimum) by rather small doses (e.g. 100-200 krad) of ionizing radiation without any detectable change in flavour, odour, texture and appearance, i.e. the sensory quality characteristics of the fresh fish or fishery product. In addition, irradiation has also been advantageously combined with other food processing methods, as e.g. with boiling, drying or salting, where such processed commodities have to be rendered less perishable. A further special feature of fish irradiation is that the fresh or processed product can be irradiated in the final packing because of the easy penetration of gamma rays through packaging materials. In this way, some bacteria of public health significance (pathogenic, food poisoning micro-organisms like Salmonella, Staphylococcus, etc.) can be eliminated. AU - "Vas, K" KW - "60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES" KW - "CONSULTANTS" KW - "FOOD PROCESSING" KW - "GAMMA RADIATION" KW - "IAEA" KW - "MEETINGS" KW - "MICROORGANISMS" KW - "RADIODISINFESTATION" KW - "RADURIZATION" KW - "SALMONELLA" KW - "STAPHYLOCOCCUS" KW - "STORAGE LIFE" DO - https://doi.org/ UR - PB - CY - IAEA PY - 1974 DA - 1974-07-01 LA - English J2 - [] VL - 16 C1 - C2 - C3 - C4 - C5 - Available on-line: http://www.iaea.org/Publications/Magazines/Bulletin/Bull165/16505704449.pdf;INIS L3 - Journal Name: IAEA Bulletin; Journal Volume: 16; Journal Issue: 5; Other Information: 1 photo ER -