Food irradiation – Good processing practices

The following might be of interest:

'Food irradiation - Good processing practices for the irradiation of foods intended to human consumption'

ISO/TC34 has proposed a new work item with above title. The scope is below. Speak to your National Standards Body (in the UK this is BSI) if you wish to get involved.

'Introduction

Food irradiation is the processing of food products by ionizing radiation in order to improve their quality.

As health criteria, food irradiation shall not be used as substitute of the good hygienic practices. Nowadays, many countries are using industrial irradiators as a technological alternative for the processing of food products.

The purpose of food irradiation regulations is:

- to assure that irradiation processing of food products is implemented in accordance with all the current hygienic standards and practice codes; and

- to establish a correct system of documentation and labelling to accompany irradiated food products, in order to guarantee their identification and their traceability.

In particular, the purpose of this standard is to provide principles for the processing of food products with ionizing radiation that are consistent with current hygienic standards and practice codes. When it is applicable, food irradiation should be incorporated as part of a HACCP plan (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point). The provisions of this standard may be used as guidance to the irradiation processor to apply the HACCP system, according to the IRAM 14104 national standard, to foods processed by ionizing radiation.'

Hi LM

As a matter of fact, irradiated food may not necessary be safe for consumption and hence a good reason for it to be included in the HACCP Plan. While preliminary activities would involve dose mapping of irradiation levels (kilogray) suitable for the food type, this would ensure products to be "sterile" but the main food safety issues on irradiated products are certainly post-irradiation contaminations.

Providers of irradiation services must be certified to ISO 9000 or more and has to conform to strict records of traceability and rightly so, the National Standard of each country would govern the code of practices.

Currently, the americans seem to be in the forefront of irradiated food and such foods are already in the marketplace (MUST BE clearly labeled as such). So, how would you like to have a sirloin steak that was subject to "irradiated shock therapy" be served - medium or well done!

Just a Guess - I think irradiated food could be a huge global issue in the future matching similar interest on GMO foods.

Charles Chew

FSAI has issued a leaflet on irradiated food.

FSAI irradiated food leaflet

Just for your info Saferpakers.

Thanks Franco.