Effects of Low-Dose Gamma-Radiation on Certain Wheat Properties

Abstract

An understanding of how storage and environmental conditions encountered beyond low Earth orbit, including elevated radiation levels, affect the quality and acceptability of foods is needed to support development of a food system for extended space travel. This study investigated the effects of Mars missionrelevant radiation doses on structural and functional characteristics of several wheat cultivars (Apogee, Perigee, Parshall, Yavaros 79, and Yecora Rojo). Increasing radiation affected proteins as evident by fainter SDS-PAGE banding, structural differences in AFM images, and changes in peak dough development times. Perigee starch was signifi cantly more susceptible to mechanical and radiation damage than the other cultivars. Radiation increased lipid oxidation levels up to six-fold for some cultivars, and only the antioxidant capacities of Apogee and Perigee decreased with radiation exposure. Low-dose gammaradiation affects wheat, and differences exist between cultivars, so careful consideration is needed when selecting wheat for use in elevated radiation conditions.