FOOD IRRADIATIONIt is safe, a type

of Food Preservation

Overview 1. Introduction 2. Safety and Security 3. Global use of food irradiation 4. Barriers to the greater use of irradiation

4.1 Association with radioactivity 4.2 Added Costs 4.3 Nutritional Losses 4.4 Consumer Acceptance 4.5 Labeling 4.6 Retail and food industry inertia

5. Overcoming the industry resistance 6. Conclusion

1. Introduction

Irradiated food came up with beneficial factors in several ways, the concept has been considered for a century until the 1960s, the concept was firstly initiated. By the past there were many ways of food preservation, but food irradiation was meant to replace military, astronauts’ and patient meals. Afterward, the lower dose (shown in the diagram on the next slide) became more well-improve practical and safe in food industry.

Effects and Applications TableDose

range in kGy

0.1-1

1-10

Above 10

The Practical Advantages Versatile Highly effective and efficient A cold process No problem of transportation Solid raw foods can be treated Treatment does not involve with

chemicals and chemical residues The process is relatively easy to control Food can be instantly distributed after

treatment

2. Safety Since 1960s with thousands of

researches, it has been proven that food irradiation was concluded that the was no or at least risk in minimal.

In 1981, Joint Expert Committee on Food Irradiation (JECFI) concluded that average dose of 10 kGy had no toxicological, harzardous, nutritional and microbiological appearances.

Doubts=Fix with newly updated analytical methods at ppb level.

2-alkylcyclobutanones=‘new’ radiolytic product, naturally appears in nuts.

3. Global use of food irradiation

In 2003, revision of irradiation standard from 1981 conclusion of JECFI also conducted.

More than 50 nations have agreed that the amount of food irradiation can be used in maximum, depending on the purposes of treatment.

Around 30 nations have certain facilities for production and many have only for research&development and pilot scale quantities.

The difficulty began in 1980s when the large volumes of grain were produced in Ukraine at a single facility was defunct.

In 2005 and 2010, it was apparent that the food radiation was lowering in Europe, increasing in Asia, particularly in China, and increasing slowly in USA, Australasia and other regions. In survey of 2010, the food was produced in 400 kilotons, but some said nearly a megaton.

Most of the food is consumed domestically, the main of international export is fruit. However, the irradiated food exportation is increasing slowly.

4. Barriers to the greater use of radiation

Many barriers and resistances were often begat in informally trend.

4.1 Asscociation with radioactivity

Radioactive Cobalt-60 has been practically and only used as a radiation source very recently when reliable electron beam and X-ray sources came to market.

Public generally associate irradiation with influencing radioactivity of food, so no reason for rejection.

Additionally, the food irradiation and medical irradiation were similar method, and patients accept it; therefore, there is no sophisticated reason for the resistance to food irradiation.

4.2 Added Costs

The net cost of a construction of new irradiation facility is around 5 to 12 millions dollar which is high but operational costs are comparatively low.

Due to the cost the resistance from food producers will not want the capital outlay and the treatment costs will pass to the consumers.

The treatment costs are depending on the dose, but it costs generally around 2 to 40 US cents for a kilogram. This is not an important cost, but the price of raw materials has a higher gap

Food-borne diseases annually cost the US around 48 million illnesses, 3000 deaths and 78 billion dollar and even New Zealand cost 135 million dollar.

Comparatively small contribution from irradiation can lowering economic costs of food-borne diseases

4.3 Nutritional losses

The is a statement said “irradiation destroys vitamins” which is generally used for convincing consumers that irradiation debases food nutrition. It is partly true because some nutrition, some vitamins, are somewhat responsive to radiation if compared to carbohydrates, proteins, fat and minerals which are more adequate for nutritional irradiation.

Moreover, the degradation of nutrition is vastly depending on the factors of growth and harvest of agricultural processes before shipment for irradiation treatment

The Food Safety Australia-New Zealand organization reviewed that the maximum legal dose of irradiation for tomatoes, capsicums and 10 other tropical fruits is 1 kGy, only in Australia and New Zealand. For exportation, the biosecurity agencies have limited on 250 to 400 Gy.

All in all, consumers will have more than 2% of the sensitive vitamins less than fresh fruits

4.4 Consumer Acceptance

The majority of food irradiation opposition will not usually buy irradiated food, of course. Actually, the majority of the oppositions is getting small due to the explanation the food irradiation has nothing to do with chemicals or chemical residues.

Even though, if compare to other preserved food, irradiated food still sold in small volume, in the US, irradiated hamburger, Hawaiian papaya and sweet potato have been successfully sold for at least a decade as well as exotic fruits from Mexico and Asian nations became available.

Internationally beside the US, there are some examples around the globe where irradiated food became successful. New Zealand: irradiated mango and litchi

have been imported and sold since 2005 France and Belgium: irradiated frog legs Thailand: irradiated fermented sausage China: irradiated spicy chicken feet

Based on the author’s personal surveys, there 2 minorities which one of them just reject the food and another one is actively interesting in the food. The majority’s decisions are depending on several factors

4.5 Labeling

There are only 2 main different requirement of labeling in the world between USA and New Zealand USA: the labeling is not required for irradiated

ingredients unless the whole contents are irradiated.

New Zealand: the labeling is required for all components that are irradiated. As the result, oppositions of irradiated are decreasing due to the label.

4.6 Retail and food industry inertia

Mainly, the cause of inertia of food irradiation is because people still lack of understand the facts of irradiation with fear and not knowing the beneficial outcomes of versatile food irradiation. This is why food irradiation industry cannot become the first choice of majority.

5. Overcoming the industry resistance

Focusing on the benefits of the food rather than the smartness of the innovation

Positively use labeling Discuss over-strict labeling requirements

with regulators Realize that food is somewhat perishable Become a greater partner with the food

industry

6. Conclusion

Over the last decade, the rate of commercial retail of irradiated food has been slowly increasing without any damage which is a good news. This topic should be discussed on the international stage for a better reputation and selling of irradiated food as well as removing unwarranted or unofficial barriers in order to world widen the adoption of well-qualified innovation.