Radiation processing for public health: Croatia's contribution to food safety and sterilisation practices

Radiation processing has become an established and widely used technology in many countries. It is used for decontamination and sterilisation of various products, such as medical devices and accessories, pharmaceutical raw materials, packaging, food components and ingredients, with the aim to eliminate unwanted microorganisms. In Croatia, radiation technologies have been used for more than 40 years at the irradiation facility of the Ruđer Bošković Institute. Its Radiation Chemistry and Dosimetry Laboratory operates and maintains a ⁶⁰Co panoramic gamma irradiator used for research, development, and industrial services in various aspects of irradiation technologies. This article explains radiation decontamination and sterilisation methods to inform a wider audience of their advantages and challenges in light of food safety and public health and provides a brief overview of related activities in Croatia.