In recent years, “X-ray” devices have been used at the entrance to Azerbaijani metro stations for security reasons. Through these devices, it is possible to see all items in hand luggage. Each item is displayed in a different colour on the device. Thus, thanks to the different colours, all organic, metallic and inorganic components can be detected by X-ray.
At the same time, we pass our bags of food through X-ray machines. There is always debate about whether the radiation emitted by the devices affects our diet.
Food safety expert Farid Safarov told Modern.az that device manufacturers take several precautionary measures to limit the radiation emitted by “X-ray” devices and produce their products accordingly. For this purpose, devices covered with lead foils or panels are manufactured:
It is known that the rays emitted by “X-ray” devices do not interact with food. That is, we know that a small dose of radiation received from the devices does not cause any change in the composition of food and drink. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducted a major study on the subject.
Farid Safarov stated that X-rays do not confer radioactive properties to the substances through which they pass.
“The rays pass through the substance and continue on their way. It does not have the ability to carry radiation into the material it passes through. There are no known side effects from consuming food that has passed through X-ray devices. Additionally, in the food industry, X-rays are used in areas such as food sterilization and shelf life extension.
Foods passing through “X-ray” devices are exposed to an average of 0.2 millirads, and people to about 0.02 millirads. (The legal limit is 0.5 millirads.) The amount emitted by the X-ray machine is 200 times less than the amount of radiation received by a person each year,” he said.
