Flax which has been used for thousand decades is a source of beauty, health and youth.  Flaxseed (linseed) has many beneficial effects. Specialist suggest to consume it in liquid for on salads or eating one tablespoon flax seed daily. You can see the benefits of flaxseed below;

• Beneficial for stomach-intestines problems
• Beneficial for constipation
• Strengthens bones especially during menopause period
• Ease menopause problems
• Prevents hearth-vascular diseases
• Balance cholesterol-diabetes level
• Decrease hypertension
• Strengthens neural system
• Strenghtens memory
• Beneficial for distractibility
• Its external usage is accelerate wound recovering
• Beneficial for eczema and cutaneous disease
• Beneficial for caflus
• Beneficial for respiratory tract disease
• Beneficial for mental agitation
• Allays cough
• Its fibres are used in textile industry.

What Does Flaxseed Include?

• Omega-3, omega-6, omega-9 fatty acids.
• In high ratio soluble and insoluble fibre.
• Protein.
• Lignans.
• Vitamins.
• Minerals.
• Amino acids.

Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) is filling with certain gas mixes instead of air.It will be mistake if MAP is concerned same as controlled atmosphere packaging. With MAP method, atmosphere composition in package is under control during storage while controlled atmosphere packaging method is applied during carriage and storage after harvest. In vacuum packaging, the atmosphere in the package is removed.

In the MAP method,  the oxygen in the package is eliminated and CO2 and N2 gases are filled in different concentrations. By this method, the growths of aerobic microorganisms, proteolytic microorganisms are inhibited. The effect of MAP on shelf life of the product depends on type of the product, initial quality of the product, gas mix, storage temperature, hygiene during process and packaging, the ratio between gas and product volume (gas   / product) and the conservation property of the package.

What Are The Advantages Of MAP?

• It increases shelf of the product 50-400%
• It decreases the economical loses
• It decreases the distribution cost
• It helps provide high quality products
• It help centralized packing control
• It prevents using chemical preservatives
• It prevent water loss and cross-contamination
• It prevents bad odor and it is useful

What Are The Disadvantages Of MAP?

• It increases the product cost
• Temperature control is required
• Different gas formulations are required for each type of product
• The stuff who use this method should be educated well

Great numbers of conservation methods are used in food industry during storage to prevent chemical, physical, biochemical and microbiological changes in the product. This methods can divided in to two groups; heat treatments and non-heat treatments. Food irradiation is non – heat treatment and it is an alternative method to eliminate negative effects of heat treatments.

Besides, it increases the shelf life of the food product, irradiation method also prevents bud, delays maturation and kills insects and parasites. Like other methods, irridation efficiency depends on quality of the raw material and providing hygienic conditions.

In food irradiation method, gamma beam, X-ray and accelerated electrons are used as a beam source. Among them, the most commonly used source are  gamma beam and accelerated electrons

According to research of  expert committee,  JECFI, FAO, IAEA, WHO, that studied about the effect of irradiated foods on human health in 1980, the food products irradiated with maximum 10 kGy dose doesn’t have harmful effect on human health. But irradiation must not be applied to liquids due to free radicals formation and their adverse effect.

The most important point in food irradiation method is choosing applied dose. The applied dose have to be in limits that was determined by international health organizations, should prevent microbiological growth and should not have harmful effect on product quality. To determine the irradiated foods and applied dose level, Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectrophotometer is used.

Another important point is food’s being in its last package. To prevent cross-contamination, food product should be packed before irradiation and shouln’t be applied any further process after irradiation. Also packing material is important and should be suitable for irradiation method.

Although food irradiation method has several benefits, Its acceptance takes times and in some countries consumers avoid consume irradiated food products. the awareness of public and manufacturers should be raise about food irradiation technology to gain tendency to this method.