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FoodGuard-1 Food Screening System Based on NaI(Tl) Detectors
 The ORTEC FoodGuard-1 Sodium Iodide Food Screening system is designed for the rapid screening of foodstuffs, both solids and liquids, for radioactive isotope contamination. Primarily designed for "front line" response for food producers, traders, import, and export agencies, etc., FoodGuard-1 is an out of the box solution developed specifically to get your up and testing samples in a matter of minutes.
- High efficiency counting and easy sample loading using 3” x 3” NaI detector in bench-top lead shield.
- Simple to assemble with USB connected digiBASE that contains all required electronics: miniaturized preamplifier and detector high voltage with powerful digital signal processing and multichannel analyzer.
- Intuitive software display, high degree of automation and results storage or printing.
- Clear results with calculations such as percentage of maximum permitted concentration (MPC).
- Immediate feedback with audible alarms to warn of sample activities that exceed a user-set percent of MPC limit.
- Light enough to be transported to the place of use, such as a port for food market.
- Supplied pre-calibrated and ready to use with sample containers and a check source.
 FoodGuard-1 may also be used in other counting applications such as radon filter counting, test swipes counting, water monitoring and materials monitoring.
A standard FoodGuard-1 screening system includes:
Downlaod the FoodGuard-1 Brochure
 FoodGuard-2 High Resolution Germanium Gamma Spectroscopy Workstation for Quantitative Determination of Radionuclides in Food
The FoodGuard-2 workstation is an out-of-the-box system to meet the needs of agencies needing to accurately quantify the levels of radionuclides in food. By the use of a high resolution high purity germanium (HPGe) detector, each and every gamma-emitting radionuclide in the sample may be quantified in terms of specific activity in Bq/kilogram or Bq/liter. Designed specifically for agricultural monitoring, FoodGuard-2 presents an intuitive software interface to move you from test setup to clear results quickly.
- Complete, out-of-the-box solution designed specifically for measuring gamma ray emitting radioactive contaminants in food and water.
- Simple and interactive user interface to increase efficiency and decrease error.
- Editable activity limits tables derived from international standards for permissible radiation levels in food.
- Configurable alarms activated when activity level, percentage, or sum of activities is exceeded.
- Professional and customizable reports, in HTML and PDF format, for easy sharing and archiving of results.
- Supplied pre-calibrated with a 40K check source and 2-liter Marinelli beakers.
- Operator selectable calibration files for supporting additional sample containers and geometries.
 A complete FoodGuard-2 workstation includes:
Download the FoodGuard-2 brochure.
Optional Add-ons for Expanding Your Food Monitoring System
 Easy to Use Rapid and Simple Gamma Radionuclide Screening
GammaScreen-8 Multi-Sample Gross Gamma Screening System
- Rapid screening of hundreds of samples/day for possible radioactive contamination.
- No sample processing: Pass/fail evaluations against analysis limits.
- 700 samples may be counted in 20 hours of operation.
- MDA (LOD)1=52 Bq/L, 300 second count.
- 8 samples (10 ml or 50 ml) counted simultaneously with automated data entry by bar code scanning (optional).
- 8 completely independent NaI (Tl) well detectors and count chains.
- Digitally stable electronics.
- Full spectral data retained for detailed analysis.
The GammaScreen-8 multi-sample gross gamma screening system has been developed in conjunction with the US Center for Disease Control as a simple to use tool for the first step screening operation. It is a turn-key system based on ORTEC digital signal processing spectroscopy technology.
The GammaScreen-8 system is intended for the rapid screening of urine samples for the presence of elevated radioactivity in a post-radiological event scenario. This system allows up to eight urine samples to be counted simultaneously in discretely shielded 3” x 3” NaI Well detectors to quickly identify elevated radioactivity from personnel in the exposed population. This screening process provides critical information to Emergency Response Agencies and is accomplished with minimal operator training.
Download the GammaScreen-8 brochure.
 Whole Body Counting Systems
Whole Body Counting Systems measure body contents directly and do not rely on indirect methods (such as urinalysis) and can measure insoluble radionuclides in the lungs. ORTEC has a wide range of capabilities for building Whole Body Counters, including stand-in, chair, bed, scanning bed, and steel room systems for lung burden.
Go to Whole Body Counters
| M-1 In Situ Spectrometry for Soil Contamination Measurements
M-1 in situ spectroscopy systems allow the rapid assessment of wide area contamination on the ground or on surfaces. Fallout of radionuclides onto the ground and bodies of water are common in the aftermath of a nuclear accident. The "1-meter methodology" used by the ORTEC M-1 system was developed at the US DOE Environmental Measurements Laboratory (EML). The method can qauntify both surface and "washed in" radioactive contaminants.
In principle, an M-1 system can be configured from any available HPGe detector, although the ORTEC trans-SPEC-DX-100T is ideal and is strongly recommended. It includes a large HPGe detector, full digital signal processing electronics and electromechanical cooler in a compact and easy to deploy package. System software is the ORTEC ISOPLUS-B32 analysis package, which, as well as being designed for in-situ measurements, is also suitable for the analysis of samples of radioactive materials in containers such as drums and boxes.
The recommended M-1 system comprises:
Note: as an alternative to the trans-SPEC-DX-100T, a tripod mounted HPGe Germanium GEM Detector in a Gamma Gage cryostat with a DigiDART Portable HPGe MCA and ISOTOPIC-32 Software may be used.
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Detective Family Hand-Held HPGe Spectrometers
The ORTEC Micro-Detective, Detective and Trans-SPEC products are High Purity Germanium (HPGe) high resolution gamma spectrometers in a totally integrated package which does not require the use of liquid nitrogen refrigerant. They are entirely battery operated.
These are multi-purpose instruments, and in an accident scenario can be used for contamination monitoring, scanning of humans, food and water sample counting, etc.
The Micro-Detective and Micro-trans-SPEC models are most compact and lightest in weight. The Detective-100T and trans-SPEC-100T models have greater sensitivity, are more suited to quantification of radionuclides, and will reach detection limits faster than the micro models. Detective models are configured as nuclide identifiers whereas trans-SPEC models are configured as general purpose HPGe spectrometers. Both models may be attached to a computer and used, with appropriate software, for general environmental measurements, food monitoring and in-situ contamination measuremnts. They are ideal emergency response tools.
Download the Micro-Detective data sheet.
Download the Micro-trans-SPEC data sheet.
Download the Detective-100T models data sheet.
Download the Trans-SPEC-DX-100T data sheet.
Download the paper published on "The HMLs New Field Deployable High Resolution Whole Body Counter."
Software:
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Guideline Levels of Radioactivity in Food and Water
CODEX GENERAL STANDARD FOR CONTAMINANTS AND TOXINS IN FOOD AND FEED CODEX STAN 193-1995
Guideline levels for radioactive contamination appear on page 33. The Codex Alimentarius Commission was created in 1963 by FAO1 and WHO2 to develop food standards, guidelines and related texts such as codes of practice under the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme.
Methods
Food Monitoring Note - Radioactivity and its Measurements in Foodstuffs
This note gives examples of the types of radiation found in foodstuffs, the possible sources of contamination and how to be prepared to deal with them.
Measurement of Radionuclides in Food and the Environment
This food monitoring guide was published by the IAEA in 1989 in the aftermath of Chernobyl. It is sadly, out of print. The guide provides a wealth of information regarding methods, sample preparation and so on. While the equipment shown is dated the other information is very useful.
Benefits of Using Super Large Germanium Gamma Ray Detectors for the Quantitative Determination of Environmental Radionuclides
An experimental comparison of a number of large and super-large HPGe gamma-ray spectrometers demonstrates that, from the standpoint of either sample throughput or detection limit, the largest detectors provide a benefit greater than what might be expected from just their higher efficiency. At a given MDA — one 90% efficiency detector can count as many samples as four 30% efficiency detectors. Alternatively, one 90% detector, while processing the same number of samples as three 30% detectors, can achieve a significantly lower MDA on each sample. These advantages are tangible ones for the environmental spectroscopist, because larger detectors cost less per percent efficiency than smaller detectors.
Emergency Monitoring of Population
The HMLs New Field Deployable High Resolution Whole Body Counter
This paper describes the use of the ORTEC Detective as an emergency whole body counter. It provides calibration data which could be used to get started quickly.
Novel Rapid Bioassay Gamma Screening Technique
This paper provides further details on the use and performance of the ORTEC GammaScreen 8 system, and was written by the developers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, GA. USA.
Field Deployable High Resolution Urine Gamma Scanner
The intent of the field deployable gamma urine counter is to a) identify radionuclide mixtures being excreted and b) estimate internal dose quickly to assess persons at immediate risk.
Guidelines for the Restriction of Radioactively Contaminated Food and Water Following a Nuclear Emergency
Canadian Guidelines for the Restriction of Radioactively Contaminated Food and Water Following a Nuclear Emergency
This document was published by Canada’s Minister of Public Works and Government Services in 2000. Its purpose is to guide emergency response organizations at the federal and provincial levels on decisions concerning the withdrawal and substitution of contaminated food and water.
European Union - Safety of Food Products Imported from Japan: Questions and Answers
1Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations.
2World Health Organisation of the United Nations.
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