The East Kalimantan Provincial Government Has Determined Balikpapan As A Prospective Food Welfare Location Using The Radioactive Broadcast Method And Accelerator

SAMARINDA - The Provincial Government of East Kalimantan has designated Kariangau Village, Balikpapan Barat District, Balikpapan City as a candidate for food storage locations using radioactive and accelerator methods.

"The research team from Balitbangda East Kalimantan has conducted research from the aspect of establishing the Iradiator Gamma facility for food preservation," said Head of the East Kalimantan Regional Research and Development Agency (Balitbangda Kaltim) Fitriansyah, quoted by Antara, Saturday, December 24.

The determination of prospective Iradiator Gamma land in Balikpapan was carried out by three agencies within the East Kalimantan Provincial Government after a study was carried out, namely Balitbangda, the Regional Planning and Development Agency (Bappeda) and the Regional Financial and Asset Management Agency (BPKAD).

Accompanied by Yuli Fitrianto, one of the researchers, Fitriansyah said that Iradiator Gamma is a facility that utilizes radiation sources to provide gamma-ray exposure to certain materials to increase the value of the use of these materials.

While the source of the radiation used is in the form of gamma-ray electromagnetic waves. This wave comes out of the radioisotypecobalt-60

Meanwhile, in the pattern of food preservation work, screening is carried out to prevent decay and food damage, as well as to free food products from harmful microorganisms.

Food irradiation techniques have been approved in 50 countries and have been implemented for decades of commercial purposes in the United States, Japan and a number of European countries.

He continued, to study the market aspects of the establishment of the Iradiator Gamma facility in 2022, data collection by inventory of products and their total production, distribution of questionnaires and interviews with food industry players on the islands of Kalimantan and Sulawesi (there are four provinces each).

The distribution of questionnaires is carried out on industries whose products can be irradiation services, to gain industry players' perception of the use of irradiation in their products.

"The survey results are 60 percent interested in using irradiation technology for product preservation, 24 percent are hesitant, and 16 percent are not interested," he said.

Respondents who are interested in using irradiation services argue that wanting their products to be global, to be able to expand the market, to have more guaranteed product quality, to be hygienic, to reduce the use of chemicals, and to be able to prolong the lifespan of products.

Respondents who hesitate reason that they need to see facilities and costs, depending on export country orders, do not really understand irradiation service information, doubt because they will make products that are not good.

"Meanwhile, respondents who are not interested have a reason because the products sent are fresh products so they do not require preservation, some even have other sterilization methods," said Yuli.