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Improving Grain Safety Using Radiation Dose Technologies

Author

Listed:
  • Raushangul Uazhanova

    (Department of Food Safety and Quality, Faculty of Food Technology, Almaty Technological University, Almaty 050012, Kazakhstan)

  • Meruyert Ametova

    (Department of Food Safety and Quality, Faculty of Food Technology, Almaty Technological University, Almaty 050012, Kazakhstan)

  • Zhanar Nabiyeva

    (Research Institute of Food Safety, Almaty Technological University, Almaty 050012, Kazakhstan)

  • Igor Danko

    (Institute of Nuclear Physics, Almaty 050032, Kazakhstan
    Department of Power Engineering, Satbayev University, Almaty 050013, Kazakhstan)

  • Gulzhan Kurtibayeva

    (Institute of Nuclear Physics, Almaty 050032, Kazakhstan)

  • Kamilya Tyutebayeva

    (Department of Technology and Standardization, Faculty of Technology, K.Kulazhanov Kazakh University of Technology and Business, Astana 010000, Kazakhstan)

  • Aruzhan Khamit

    (Department of Food Safety and Quality, Faculty of Food Technology, Almaty Technological University, Almaty 050012, Kazakhstan)

  • Dana Myrzamet

    (Department of Food Safety and Quality, Faculty of Food Technology, Almaty Technological University, Almaty 050012, Kazakhstan)

  • Ece Sogut

    (Food Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Suleyman Demirel University, Isparta 71100, Turkey)

  • Maxat Toishimanov

    (Food and Environment Safety Laboratory, Kazakh National Agrarian Research University, Almaty 050010, Kazakhstan)

Abstract

Reducing post-harvest losses of cereal crops is a key challenge for ensuring global food security amid the limited arable land and growing population. This study investigates the effectiveness of electron beam irradiation (5 MeV, ILU-10 accelerator) as a physical decontamination method for various cereal crops cultivated in Kazakhstan. Samples were irradiated at doses ranging from 1 to 5 kGy, and microbiological indicators—including Quantity of Mesophilic Aerobic and Facultative Anaerobic Microorganisms (QMAFAnM), yeasts, and molds—were quantified according to national standards. Experimental results demonstrated an exponential decline in microbial contamination, with a >99% reduction achieved at doses of 4–5 kGy. The modeled inactivation kinetics showed strong agreement with the experimental data: R 2 = 0.995 for QMAFAnM and R 2 = 0.948 for mold, confirming the reliability of the exponential decay models. Additionally, key quality parameters—including protein content, moisture, and gluten—were evaluated post-irradiation. The results showed that protein levels remained largely stable across all doses, while slight but statistically insignificant fluctuations were observed in moisture and gluten contents. Principal component analysis and scatterplot matrix visualization confirmed clustering patterns related to radiation dose and crop type. The findings substantiate the feasibility of electron beam treatment as a scalable and safe technology for improving the microbiological quality and storage stability of cereal crops.

Suggested Citation

  • Raushangul Uazhanova & Meruyert Ametova & Zhanar Nabiyeva & Igor Danko & Gulzhan Kurtibayeva & Kamilya Tyutebayeva & Aruzhan Khamit & Dana Myrzamet & Ece Sogut & Maxat Toishimanov, 2025. "Improving Grain Safety Using Radiation Dose Technologies," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-22, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:15:y:2025:i:15:p:1669-:d:1715867
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. World Bank, 2011. "Missing Food : The Case of Postharvest Grain Losses in Sub-Saharan Africa," World Bank Publications - Reports 2824, The World Bank Group.
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