An example of irradiation causing an obvious chemical change in food is the inducement of rancidity in foods containing unsaturated fats when oxygen is present. The process is closely related to that which normally takes place when such foods are stored.

• 辐照导致食品发生明显化学变化的一个很好的例子是,在氧气存在的条件下,辐照会使得含有不饱和脂肪的食品变臭,这一过程与通常食品储存中所发生的变化是密切相关的。