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CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—Food irradiation—the application of ionizing radiation to food—processing offers a safer and more efficient preservation method than conventional techniques, according to science research experts. Unlike chemical methods, such as ethylene oxide—which is used to disinfect herbs and spices—irradiation has a significant advantage in food sterilization, Haydee M. Solomon, Supervising Science Research Specialist at the Irradiation Services Section of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PNRI), told the BusinessMirror during an exclusive interview at the forum titled “Nuke Talk Series: What’s Your ‘Ulam Bestie’?” held at the recent 2024 National Science and Technology Week in this city. The European Union bans ethylene oxide for food sterilization due to the harmful chemical residues it leaves behind. In contrast, radiation leaves no residue on the product. Solomon clarified that when ionizing radiation is applied, it passes through the product and is absorbed by microorganisms, effectively killing them without leaving any lingering chemicals or by-products. “We irradiate the products in its final form. We do not open it. We do not touch the product itself. It’s just the packaging. So, it’s very convenient,” she explained. She further noted that other preservation methods, such as using ethylene oxide, involve chemicals, while heat treatments can sometimes cause discoloration or even condensation on the product. The moisture from condensation can create an environment conducive to mold growth, making the product less desirable, she said. “Heat can also cook the product, which isn’t the case with ionizing radiation,” Solomon added. She emphasized that radiation is more of a “cold process.” While radiation does emit a small amount of heat, typically raising the temperature of the product by only 1 degree Celsius to 3°C, it is minimal and does not have the same effects as traditional heat treatments. Solomon added that this makes ionizing radiation a more gentle and effective method of sterilization, particularly for products that could be damaged by heat. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the World Health Organization, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the food irradiation process does not pose any greater toxicological, microbiological, or nutritional risks compared to traditional food processing methods. Despite concerns about the potential chemical changes caused by ionizing radiation, these organizations assure that irradiated foods are safe for human consumption. Asked how to identify if a food item is irradiated or not, experts explained that all irradiated products are required to display the Radura symbol, indicating they have undergone irradiation. The label may also include phrases like “Treated with Radiation” or “Treated by Irradiation.” Addressing concerns about nutrient loss, Solomon cited several studies showing that irradiated foods retain most of their nutrients. The nutrient loss during irradiation is comparable to what occurs during cooking, freezing, canning, and other common food preservation methods. Studies have shown that consuming irradiated foods does not expose individuals to radiation or radioactive materials. Further explaining the safety of food irradiation, Solomon likened it to the safety of medical X-rays on individuals. She said that radiation beams pass through the food much like X-rays pass through a patient during medical imaging. Just as a person is not radioactive after an X-ray, irradiated food does not retain any radiation or radioactive substances. PHL advances in nuclear preservation Moreover, the DOST-PNRI manages a multipurpose gamma irradiation facility designed to process food and agricultural products. Recently, the facility was upgraded to a semi-commercial scale, enhancing its efficiency and increasing its processing capacity. This improvement allows it to address the growing demand for irradiation services from the food and medical sectors. According to Solomon, spices are the primary products benefiting from nuclear-based preservation technologies in the Philippines. This method, which utilize gamma rays, is commonly used to treat various spices, shrimp powder, herbal products and seasonings. Solomon added that the establishment of new facilities, such as the 10 megaelectron volt (MeV) electron beam in Tanay, Rizal, will enable more fresh produce to meet international standards, and is expected to help local growers access global markets, boosting the promotion of Philippine products worldwide. She emphasized that radiation processing is an effective method for eliminating microorganisms while preserving the quality and integrity of products. Clients who use this technology not only comply with Food and Drug Administration standards but also gain a competitive edge in the international market, where irradiated products are widely accepted.
ATLANTA (AP) — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who tried to restore virtue to the White House after the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, then rebounded from a landslide defeat to become a global advocate of human rights and democracy, has died. He was 100 years old . The Carter Center said the 39th president died Sunday afternoon, more than a year after entering hospice care , at his home in Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died in November 2023, lived most of their lives. The center said he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. A moderate Democrat, Carter ran for president in 1976 as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad grin, effusive Baptist faith and technocratic plans for efficient government. His promise to never deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter said. Carter’s victory over Republican Gerald Ford, whose fortunes fell after pardoning Nixon, came amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over race, women’s rights and America’s role in the world. His achievements included brokering Mideast peace by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at Camp David for 13 days in 1978. But his coalition splintered under double-digit inflation and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His negotiations ultimately brought all the hostages home alive, but in a final insult, Iran didn’t release them until the inauguration of Ronald Reagan, who had trounced him in the 1980 election. Humbled and back home in Georgia, Carter said his faith demanded that he keep doing whatever he could, for as long as he could, to try to make a difference. He and Rosalynn co-founded The Carter Center in 1982 and spent the next 40 years traveling the world as peacemakers, human rights advocates and champions of democracy and public health. Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, Carter helped ease nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiate cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, the center had monitored at least 113 elections around the world. Carter was determined to eradicate guinea worm infections as one of many health initiatives. Swinging hammers into their 90s, the Carters built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The common observation that he was better as an ex-president rankled Carter. His allies were pleased that he lived long enough to see biographers and historians revisit his presidency and declare it more impactful than many understood at the time. Propelled in 1976 by voters in Iowa and then across the South, Carter ran a no-frills campaign. Americans were captivated by the earnest engineer, and while an election-year Playboy interview drew snickers when he said he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times,” voters tired of political cynicism found it endearing. The first family set an informal tone in the White House, carrying their own luggage, trying to silence the Marine Band’s traditional “Hail to the Chief" and enrolling daughter, Amy, in public schools. Carter was lampooned for wearing a cardigan and urging Americans to turn down their thermostats. But Carter set the stage for an economic revival and sharply reduced America's dependence on foreign oil by deregulating the energy industry along with airlines, trains and trucking. He established the departments of Energy and Education, appointed record numbers of women and nonwhites to federal posts, preserved millions of acres of Alaskan wilderness and pardoned most Vietnam draft evaders. Emphasizing human rights , he ended most support for military dictators and took on bribery by multinational corporations by signing the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. He persuaded the Senate to ratify the Panama Canal treaties and normalized relations with China, an outgrowth of Nixon’s outreach to Beijing. But crippling turns in foreign affairs took their toll. When OPEC hiked crude prices, making drivers line up for gasoline as inflation spiked to 11%, Carter tried to encourage Americans to overcome “a crisis of confidence.” Many voters lost confidence in Carter instead after the infamous address that media dubbed his “malaise" speech, even though he never used that word. After Carter reluctantly agreed to admit the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979. Negotiations to quickly free the hostages broke down, and then eight Americans died when a top-secret military rescue attempt failed. Carter also had to reverse course on the SALT II nuclear arms treaty after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979. Though historians would later credit Carter's diplomatic efforts for hastening the end of the Cold war, Republicans labeled his soft power weak. Reagan’s “make America great again” appeals resonated, and he beat Carter in all but six states. Born Oct. 1, 1924, James Earl Carter Jr. married fellow Plains native Rosalynn Smith in 1946, the year he graduated from the Naval Academy. He brought his young family back to Plains after his father died, abandoning his Navy career, and they soon turned their ambitions to politics . Carter reached the state Senate in 1962. After rural white and Black voters elected him governor in 1970, he drew national attention by declaring that “the time for racial discrimination is over.” Carter published more than 30 books and remained influential as his center turned its democracy advocacy onto U.S. politics, monitoring an audit of Georgia’s 2020 presidential election results. After a 2015 cancer diagnosis, Carter said he felt “perfectly at ease with whatever comes.” “I’ve had a wonderful life,” he said. “I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.” Contributors include former AP staffer Alex Sanz in Atlanta.
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Andrej Jakimovski hit a layup with 8 seconds left, and Colorado upset No. 2 UConn 73-72 in the consolation bracket of the Maui Invitational on Tuesday in Lahaina, Hawaii. Colorado (5-1) rallied from down 11 in the first half to get the win over the two-time defending national champions Huskies. Jakimovski finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds and Julian Hammond III and Elijah Malone each scored 16 for the Buffaloes, who advanced to the fifth-place game in Maui on Wednesday. Down 72-71, Jakimovski drove the right side of the lane and made a scoop shot as he was falling down. UConn called timeout to set up the final play but Hassan Diarra missed a 3-pointer with 2 seconds left. Liam McNeeley led UConn with 20 points, Solo Ball scored 16 and Diarra finished with 11. The Huskies (4-2) lost two straight for the first time since dropping three in a row from Jan. 11-18, 2023. Colorado trailed by eight at halftime and Diarra hit two 3-pointers early in the second half that made it 46-37. The Buffaloes scored the next 11 points to take a 48-46 lead, their first of the game. Hammond bookended that run with a pair of triples. UConn went back in front 55-52 on Tarris Reed Jr.'s driving layup but Malone's bucket with 8:34 left tied it at 59. McNeeley's hook shot gave the Huskies a 63-60 lead before Jakimovski drained a 3-pointer to tie it again with 5:16 left. Ball hit a 3-pointer and a layup to give UConn a five-point lead but Colorado got within 70-69 on two free throws by Malone with 2:04 left. A putback from Jaylin Stewart made it a three-point game with 1:29 remaining. Malone answered with a layup, Javon Ruffin blocked Diarra's shot and Colorado got an offensive rebound with 24 seconds left to set up the winning basket. McNeeley made his first four shots from deep and had 16 points by intermission to lead the Huskies. Colorado had opportunities to make it a close game by halftime but went just 12-for-19 from the foul line and trailed 40-32. UConn attempted only four free throws in the first half and had five players with two or more fouls, including Reed, who had three. --Field Level MediaGIP given the nod to begin demolition of former General HospitalShillong: Meghalaya was rewarded for the second consecutive year for securing the second place in the Group-D category for the prestigious National Energy Conservation Award for its efforts in promoting energy efficiency, reducing energy consumption and promoting sustainability. The award was organised by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, Union ministry of power, recognising Meghalaya's commitment to achieving significant environmental impact through energy-saving initiatives. At a function in New Delhi Saturday, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Union minister of state for power, Shripad Naik, presented the awards to the states recognised for their exemplary contributions towards energy efficiency. "In his address, the vice president commended all the states for their exceptional contributions to national energy conservation goals and their unwavering commitment to sustainability," an official statement said. State power minister Abu Taher Mondal said the govt has initiated several energy-saving measures, including efforts such as reducing energy usage in manufacturing, investing in renewable energy, adopting energy-efficient technologies, and notifying policies related to energy efficiency, some of which are in the final stages of notification. "These initiatives have contributed to a reduction in energy consumption, aligning with the government's long-term goal of achieving carbon neutrality," the minister said and thanked chief minister Conrad K Sangma for his unwavering support to the power department. While recognising the efforts of the consumer in taking up various energy conservation steps, he stated that the award is based on the indicators specified under the State Energy Efficiency Index, along with policies and activities related to energy conservation implemented across various sectors, such as industry, transport, municipalities, buildings, cross sector and MePDCL (Meghalaya PowerDistributionCorporation Ltd. (MePDCL). The power minister highlighted that the govt had notified the Meghalaya Energy Conservation Regulation 2017, which aims to promote the use of BEE (Bureau of Energy Efficiency) star-rated appliances in public procurement and bans the use of incandescent lamps and inefficient magnetic-wire chokes in tube lights. "The govt has constituted a state-level steering committee for the identification of key pillars of energy transition at the state level and to provide policy guidance and recommendations to achieve state-specific energy transition goal. The government also launched the Meghalaya Electric Vehicle Policy 2021, which envisions 15% of the state's motor vehicles being powered by electric batteries by 2025," he said. Commissioner and secretary, power department, Sanjay Goyal said the recognition is a testament to the state's unwavering commitment to fosteringa sustainable and resilient power infrastructure. "The objective is not only to meet the energy requirements of the community but also to establish a foundation for enhanced service reliability and sustainable energy for overall progress in the region," he said and mentioned that a Demand Side Management Cell has also been established in MePDCL with the assistance of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, New Delhi, to formulate a suitable business model for adopting DSM (demand-side management (DSM) activities. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword .