Publication Laka-library:
Cobalt 60. The future is today (1987)
| Author | AECL |
| Date | April 1987 |
| Classification | 6.07.4.10/04 (MISCELLANEOUS - FOOD IRRADIATION) |
| Front | 
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From the publication:
FOREWORD Medieval alchemists tried, in vain, to turn lead into gold. If they could be here with us now, they would undoubtedly prefer cobalt-60 to all the gold in the world. Originally a simple metal used for centuries as a pigment, cobalt-59 today is transformed into cobalt-60, a radioactive element of unprecedented value. Well known in medicine for cancer treatment, cobalt-60 is also employed to sterilize a wide range of disposable medical products used in hospitals and to sanitize pharmaceutical and cosmetic products. In the food sector, cobalt-60 is proving to be a new and effective solution for preserving harvests and controlling food-borne diseases. We can foresee the day when irradiation of food will significantly help humanity meet the greatest challenge it has ever known: feeding the enormous and constantly growing world population. As a long-term weapon against hunger, cobalt-60 will have a major economic and political role to play. However, for the immediate future, cobalt-60 remains extremely important. For example, it may be used advantageously to replace certain gases and chemical products used in the food industry which are suspected of being harmful or carcinogenic. Other applications include hardening of some plastics, treatment of sewage sludge and elimination of harmful insect populations. For Canada, and for Canadian consumers, cobalt-60 represents a tremendous asset and will help us achieve a better, more prosperous future.
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