The effect of ionising radiation on antinutritional factors and the nutritional value of plant materials with reference to human and animal food

Although some plant materials contain substantial protein, carbohydrate and other nutrients, their bioavailability and utilisation by either humans or animals is relatively low, particularly in under-utilised/lesser-known/non-conventional crops. This is due to the presence of high proportions of various antinutrients. Moreover, the currently-adapted processing methods are relatively ineffective for complete inactivation/removal of such antinutrients. Ionising radiation treatment could serve as a possible additional processing method for inactivation or removal of certain antinutritional factors. This review therefore attempts to highlight the impact of gamma irradiation on the chemistry of various antinutrients, including non-starch polysaccharides (NSPs), and biological and nutritional qualities of foods and feeds. The potential effect of low irradiation dose levels of up to 10 kGy on the reduction of various antinutrients is also reviewed. This approach could open avenues for the possible utilisation of under-utilised and non-conventional crops and other agricultural residues as potential additional food and feed sources in the near future.