ORTEC FoodGuard 2 is a fully quantitative solution to the assay of foodstuffs for radioactivity through high-resolution gamma spectrometry with high purity germanium detectors. It has been designed to simplify and streamline the processing of samples in a busy laboratory environment. The FoodGuard-2-AK add-on kit is an easily installed, add-on for any ORTEC gamma spectrometry system which is already using GammaVision software. It can be installed in minutes without affecting the operation of the GammaVision system and, once calibrated, provides the user with the full features of the standard FoodGuard-2 system. This represents a great simplification of operation.
The resultant workstation is a ready-to-use, full featured system for performing sophisticated analysis of food, water, and other agricultural samples containing any form of gamma ray emitting radioactive material which can be present following an accident or terrorist incident.
The FoodGuard-2 workstation software includes example limits tables from international regulatory organizations, such as the US FDA and World Health Organization, for acceptable activities of radionuclides such as 137Cs, 134Cs, and 131I. These tables can also be customized with additional nuclides and different limits to meet your specific needs.
To render the FoodGuard-2 system operational, a supervisor calibrates, and sets up the sample types, alarm limits, and report outputs in a few easy steps. For routine “high sample throughput” use, an operator then enters a few key pieces of sample information using the interactive user interface, places a sample in one of the included Marinelli beakers, and starts counting.
During the count, the software provides feedback such as a spectrum and alarm notifications before presenting a professionally formatted report that can be shared or archived. The operation is designed for high sample throughput and clear results.
What is in a FoodGuard-2-AK Add-On Kit?
The FoodGuard-2-AK add-on kit includes 6 each, 2-liter Marinelli sample beakers and a check source comprising a 2-liter Marinelli beaker filled with KCl (40K). These beakers are suitable for use with HPGe detectors with an endcap diameter of less than or equal to 83 mm. Calibration requires either the use of a replicate (a 2-liter Marinelli) standard, or if not available, the calibration may be transferred from another similar geometry (such as a 1-liter Marinelli or bottle) using the OPTIONAL ANGLE Efficiency Transfer software.
In addition to the sample containers and check source, the FoodGuard-2-AK add-on kit includes two software items:
- FG-2-B32 FoodGuard-2 Software version 1.0.11 or later.
- 797230 Connections Upgrade kit version 7.02.03 or later.
System Minimum Detectable Concentration
The MDC achieved will depend on the specifics of the system on which it is installed: specification of lead shield, relative efficiency of HPGe detector, sample size/quantity.
In the table below, MDC is specified for a 20% detector and 2-liter Marinelli beakers of liquid in a typical system. (Not guaranteed on any specific system). MDCs for larger detectors and longer count times will be lower (better).
Calibrations for additional sample densities and geometries can be created using GammaVision. Once created, the operator can easily load different calibrations for different sample types.
| Measured 137Cs MDC* |
Count Time |
| 0.75 Bq/L |
10 Minutes |
| 0.5 Bq/L |
30 Minutes |
| *Calculated using ISO 11929 methods. |
System Prerequisites
The FoodGuard-2-AK upgrade software will function correctly with any system currently operating ORTEC GammaVision under Windows XP or Windows 7 (32-bit).