“This study used electron beams, X-rays, and gamma rays to irradiate red ginseng powder in the dose range of 6-16 kGy. Ultra high performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) technology was used to analyze 34 chemical components, combined with microbial limit detection and fingerprint similarity evaluation, to explore the effects of different irradiation methods on the sterilization effect and main components of red ginseng powder. The results indicate that all three irradiation methods can meet the microbial limit standards (aerobic bacteria ≤ 5 × 10 ³ cfu/g, mold ≤ 5 × 101 cfu/g) at doses ≥ 10 kGy, and the sterilization effect is dose-dependent; The fingerprint map constructed by identifying 29 saponin components showed that the similarity between all irradiation groups was greater than 0.97, confirming that the main active ingredients did not undergo significant changes. This study provides a scientific basis for the selection of radiation sources and dose optimization in the irradiation sterilization process of red ginseng. #Rewriting # This study has made progress in the field of irradiation sterilization of red ginseng powder. Experts used various radiation treatments to analyze the chemical composition and detect microbial limits of red ginseng powder. It was found that the sterilization effect was good and the main components were stable at a dose of ≥ 10 kGy, providing a basis for optimizing the irradiation sterilization process of red ginseng.”