Why gamma, how it compares, and short guides for QA, regulatory and packaging teams.
05 / 06Dense and palletised goods are treated uniformly, inside sealed packaging.
Negligible heat rise — safe for plastics, drugs and spices.
Unlike EtO, there is no gas to aerate. Products ship immediately.
Gamma processing does not make products radioactive. Safe to handle and consume.
How Cobalt-60 gamma stacks up against the other industrial sterilization methods.
| GammaAvailable here | Electron beam | X-ray | Ethylene oxide | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penetration | High — full pallets and dense goods | Limited — low-density cartons | High | Depends on gas diffusion |
| Cycle time | Hours | Seconds to minutes | Hours | Days, including aeration |
| Residue | None | None | None | EO residuals, needs aeration |
| Temperature | Ambient, cold process | Slight rise | Ambient | Heat and humidity |
| Packaging | Any sealed packaging | Any sealed packaging | Any sealed packaging | Must be gas-permeable |
| Release | Dosimetric release | Dosimetric release | Dosimetric release | Often biological indicators |
Short guides for QA, regulatory and packaging teams.
One gray is one joule of energy absorbed per kilogram of product; a kilogray (kGy) is a thousand of those. Sprout inhibition needs a fraction of a kGy, spice decontamination around 6–14 kGy, and medical device sterilization typically 25 kGy or a validated lower dose.
Both are ISO 11137-2 methods to set a sterilization dose. VDmax25 substantiates 25 kGy using a small verification test and suits low bioburden products. Method 1 derives a product-specific dose from bioburden data and can allow a lower dose for sensitive materials.
Bioburden can drift as suppliers, materials or processes change. Periodic dose audits confirm the established dose still delivers the required sterility assurance level, keeping your validation current.
Uniform density and a consistent loading pattern give a tight dose uniformity ratio (Dmax / Dmin). Keep the validated carton size, product count and orientation the same for every batch.
Check that the delivered minimum dose is at or above your required minimum, and the delivered maximum is at or below your maximum acceptable dose. Batch numbers and box serials link the certificate to the goods received.
No. Gamma rays from Cobalt-60 do not have enough energy to make materials radioactive. Treated products are safe to handle, sell and consume immediately.
No. Gamma rays pass through cardboard, plastic, glass and foil, so products are treated in their final sealed cartons.
At approved doses there is no meaningful change in flavour, aroma or colour — which is why it is widely used for export-grade spices.
It depends on the dose and volume of your consignment. Call or WhatsApp us with product details and we will confirm a schedule.
Yes. We support dose mapping and validation studies, working with your QA team or testing laboratory on sterility and bioburden testing.