Through the Indonesian Agriculture Ministry's Quarantine Office (Barantan), irradiation technology devised by the National Nuclear Energy Agency (BATAN) is deployed to increase the shelf life of exported fruits, including mango and dragon fruit, from a fortnight to 3-18 months.

"Gincu mangoes and dragon fruit are some fruits that have been irradiated, and they will be shipped to Australia on October," Totti Tjiposumirat, BATAN's Isotope and Radiation chief, stated on Monday. Gamma irradiation will help get rid of mango pulp weevil to extend the shelf life of the local Gincu mango and make it fit for export to global markets, he elaborated.

Doses of irradiation below 0.5 kiloGrays (kGy) will help to entirely eliminate weevil without compromising on the quality or altering the fruit's taste. Tjiptosumirat affirmed that the irradiated fruit is also safe for consumption.

Tjiposumirat noted that in a month, the Quarantine Office and Nuclear Agency will irradiate at least eight tons of Gincu mangoes: "Every exported fruit stored at the Quarantine Office will be irradiated by the nuclear agency.”

Source: en.antaranews.com