Irradiation Can Raise Trans Fat Levels in Meat

Irradiation at higher doses causes a negligible increase in trans fatty acids, according to a study published in the March Journal of Food Science.

As reported by Newswise, ground beef and frankfurter samples were irradiated at three different doses and stored for seven days (ground beef) or three months (frankfurters). Results showed that while the low dose irradiation did not induce any change in trans fatty acid content, the increased irradiation caused a negligible, but statistically significant, increase in the dominant trans fatty acid.