Before we share this great technique from our friend Maria over at Keto Adapted, we want to give you more details on irradiation — or, the reason why we recommend you always purchase organic seasonings and spices! Maria's technique of freezing fresh herbs in our SKINNYFat oil is another fantastic option for preserving fresh, organic herbs rather than using store bought.

Food irradiation, which is often referred to as “cold pasteurization,” has been practiced in the United States for almost fifty years. Irradiation is the process of exposing food to radiation to destroy microorganisms, bacteria, viruses, or insects that might be present in the food and extends its shelf life, making foods past their natural “due date” appear fresh and vibrant.

Today more than thirty five countries have approved irradiation of some forty percent of food products, including potatoes, onions, bananas, apples, strawberries, mangoes, meat, poultry, fish, grains, seasonings, and spices.

While irradiation works to kill bacteria, it also disrupts the structure of everything it passes through. Specifically, irradiation breaks up a food’s DNA, vitamins, minerals, and proteins and creates “free radicals” (atoms, molecules, or ions that contain unpaired electrons and crash into each other, multiplying exponentially) that contribute to many degenerative diseases, including heart disease, dementia, cancer, and cataracts.