FOOD IRRADIATION-ISO'S NEW INITIATIVE

Food irradiation process on which enormous investments were made both in terms of valuable money as well as time is still to take off in spite of its proven efficacy and safety to human beings. Every day one is confronted by revelations that enormous amount of food produced in the world is lost irretrievably due to spoilage and other causes and according to one estimate this lost food would feed the entire world. Similarly food poisoning episodes due to contamination with many pathogens like Salmonella, virulent E.coli, Pseudomonas, Listeria etc are continuing posing serious safety problems in many countries. Why is that industry is reluctant to use this technology for the welfare of the consumers?. There are several reasons, most important of which is the regulatory authorities' insistence on mentioning irradiation on the label. It is a paradox that GM foods need not be labeled in a country like the US but irradiated foods must label it!  

"A new ISO standard—ISO 14470:2011—provides state-of-the-art requirements for food irradiation, commonly used to improve quality and safety in food processing. According to a press note by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), a developer and publisher of international standards, the standard will benefit manufacturers, irradiation operators, regulators, customers and, ultimately, consumers. The new standard pertains to requirements for the development, validation and routine control of the process of irradiation using ionising radiation for the treatment of food, not only providing requirements, but also guidance for meeting them. The note adds, food irradiation is the process where food is exposed to ionising radiation in order to improve its safety and quality. It is intended to be used only on food that has been produced under good manufacturing practice (GMP) principles. The irradiation of food can be used for different purposes including control of pathogenic microorganisms and parasites, reduction of the number of spoilage microorganisms, inhibition of the sprouting of bulbs, tubers and root crops, extension of product shelf life or phytosanitary treatment.The main objectives of ISO 14470:2011 are - Provide requirements for the irradiation of food consistent with current standards and practices; Provide directions for a technical agreement between the customer and the irradiator operator; and Establish documentation system to support the controls on the food irradiation process". 

The new ISO standard is good but for whom these standards are made is a question that does not have any ready answer. Of course small quantities of food products are irradiated, especially with low doses for some specific purpose whereas pharmaceutical and medical industry uses them extensively. If finalization of ISO standards for food irradiation heralds a new initiative for popularizing the technology, then it is timely. Otherwise it will remain as a sterile exercise with not many takers for it in the near future.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

WHY THE INHIBITION ON USE OF IRRADIATION FOR MEAT? THE IRRATIONAL POLICY

Why is that gamma irradiation is being treated as an outcast technology in spite of the enormous advantage it enjoys compared to other technologies in protecting foods from ravages of microbiological hazards? The only answer could be "ignorance'! added to this many governments have dealt a body blow to this clean process by insisting on declaration of the same on front of the label which probably makes the consumer feel uncomfortable patronizing radiation treated food products. What is perplexing is that in a country like the US where unlimited freedom is given to the industry for using genetically modified foods without any transparent declaration policy, irradiated foods need to be appropriately labeled. If Americans have a choice most of them would not touch a GM food if such label declaration was insisted upon. Recently the meat industry in that country reeling under massive product recalls from the market because of suspected contamination with pathogens made out a case to allow them at least use very small dose of radiation for just surface sterilization and unfortunately same has been denied. Here is a take on this vexed issue.

The American Meat Institute Foundation (AMI) had sought acceptance for chilled beef carcasses to be treated with low dose, low penetration electron beam irradiation to reduce disease-causing pathogens like E. coli. Late last week, FSIS finally issued its official decision on the petition: denied. Winning approval of irradiation as a processing aid would mean the treated beef would be exempt from irradiation labeling. The industry doesn't like the label requirement, because it thinks consumers misunderstand and won't accept irradiation, despite its benefit in reducing health risks. In a letter to the AMI, FSIS said it "has determined that the petition lacks sufficient detail" to warrant a new rule on irradiation as a processing aid, citing a lack of definition for the terms "low dose" or "low penetration," as well as the lack of criteria in controlling the total absorbed dose. Eighteen months ago, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) signaled that the meat industry's 2005 request to use low-dose irradiation as a processing aid to reduce unwanted microbes -- and not have to label the meat as irradiated -- was not getting much traction. AMI Foundation president Jim Hodges said those issues could have been worked out. "FSIS cites technical reasons for the denial of AMI's petition to treat carcass irradiation as a processing aid, when the petition simply asked FSIS to initiate the process of making a labeling policy change to encourage the use of irradiation technology," Hodges said in a statement. FSIS said the petition was being denied "without prejudice" and that AMI could submit a revised petition addressing the government's concerns. Meanwhile, chilled beef carcasses can be treated with irradiation so long as the products meet existing requirements for total absorbed dose and for labeling, FSIS stated.

Such quixotic policies with out any rationale or justification are difficult to understand for a lay man. Probably the denial was based on the perception, mostly on wrong reasoning, that sub-standard meat would be passed on to the consumer after irradiation! Governments world over are forgetting that their primary role is to ensure food offered is safe to their citizens and quality will be the criterion the market forces will decide. Fraudulent practices that economically cheat the citizen also is a crime that need to be checked but with consumer courts springing up every where there is a remedy forum where consumers can get relief from economic frauds. The double standards in its policies vis-a-vis GM foods and Irradiated foods can make that country look silly in the eyes of others!

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com