Chairman of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) Dr Ali Raza Anwar has inaugurated Punjab’s first e-beam plant at Pakistan Radiation Services (PARAS). E-beam plant has been installed by the M/s Al-Technique Corporation of Pakistan which is a subsidiary of PAEC. During the inaugural ceremony Chairman of PAEC said that Pakistan fully understands its responsibility as a country with indigenous nuclear technology.

He said, “We will continue to develop nuclear technology for peaceful civilian purposes. We will use the advances in science and technology for the socio-economic uplift of our people under the ‘Atoms for Peace’ program.” During the occasion the Managing Director of the AL-Technique Corp. (ATCOP) briefed the audience on the capacity of the newly installed 10-MeV, 20-kW e-beam plant. According to an official present at the occasion, the e-beam plant will help the manufacturers of healthcare products and food industry of the country.

He said that the plant will be instrumental in increasing exports of Pakistan to Australia, America, New Zealand and other European countries. The first PARAS gamma irradiation plant in Pakistan was established in 1987, with another one built in 2008. PARAS is a pioneer in providing sterilisation services to the healthcare sector of the country. The technology used in PARAS is that of ionizing radiation which ends the dependence of industry on chemical preservatives.

Thus, it enables the industry to meet the quarantine and sanitary requirements essential for the export of food products. Ionizing radiation treatment is carried out on products at the stage of final packaging which eliminates any chances of cross-contamination and reduces the probability of food borne diseases.  The plants at PARAS are certified by the Australian Department of Agriculture and Bio Security, Ministry of National Food Security and Research, Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA) and ISO.

Gamma-based irradiation process is being replaced by electron beam process worldwide because of its time and energy efficiency. Installation of this 10-MeV, 20-kW electron beam plant would resolve the issue of delay in processing. It will process 1,300 cubic feet of products per day at a dose of 20-kGy, making possible the maintenance of cold chain of food during and after the processing. E-beam is the most developed technology being adopted all over the world because of its multiple benefits.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk