Title: Leveraging nuclear gamma technology for the sustainable preservation and quality improvement of spices

Authors: Abdessamad Didi; Taibi Zidouz; Hamid Amsil; Fouad Taous; Kaddour Ben Hamou; Abdelkarim Eljabouri; Iliasse Aarab; Abdelwahab Badague; Aziz Fallaoui; Abdeslem Rrhioua; Zouhair Sadoune; Mustapha Krim

Addresses: Laboratory of Sciences and Health Technologies, Higher Institute of Health Sciences (I3S), Hassan First University, Settat, Morocco ' National Energy Centre of Nuclear Science and Technology, Rabat, Morocco ' National Energy Centre of Nuclear Science and Technology, Rabat, Morocco ' National Energy Centre of Nuclear Science and Technology, Rabat, Morocco ' National Energy Centre of Nuclear Science and Technology, Rabat, Morocco ' National Energy Centre of Nuclear Science and Technology, Rabat, Morocco ' National Energy Centre of Nuclear Science and Technology, Rabat, Morocco ' National Energy Centre of Nuclear Science and Technology, Rabat, Morocco ' National Energy Centre of Nuclear Science and Technology, Rabat, Morocco ' Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Mohamed Premier University, Oujda, Morocco ' Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra, Morocco ' Higher Institute of Health Sciences (I3S), Hassan First University, Settat, Morocco

Abstract: This study assesses the effectiveness of gamma irradiation in enhancing the quality and preserving the freshness of spices, specifically fenugreek, black pepper, turmeric and ginger. Analytical techniques such as gamma spectrometry, infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and bacteriology were used to examine the physical, chemical and biological properties of these spices before and after irradiation. The results show that gamma irradiation significantly reduces the presence of pathogenic microorganisms and insects, as evidenced by a decrease in Colony-Forming Units (CFU) from 5×10⁶ to 8×10² CFU/g in fenugreek. FTIR analyses reveal specific molecular changes, although sensory qualities were not evaluated due to the absence of sensory analyses and data on shelf life. This research demonstrates that gamma irradiation is a viable method for enhancing the overall quality of spices, thereby contributing to the reduction of food losses.

Keywords: gamma irradiation; dose measurement; irradiation parameters; spice quality; Kerma rate.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNEST.2024.147524

International Journal of Nuclear Energy Science and Technology, 2024 Vol.17 No.4, pp.278 - 293

Received: 31 Oct 2024
Accepted: 12 Mar 2025
Published online: 20 Jul 2025 *

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