Download Food Irradiation

Food Irradiation and
International Trade
By
Gary Luckman
International Atomic Energy Agency
MANILA
18 JUNE 2004
International Organisations that have
recognised Irradiation
“Endorsed the technology as effective and safe . . .”
- The World Health Organization (WHO)
- Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
- International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC)
The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) has been consulting with
member countries on an international standard for irradiation as a
phytosanitary treatment. This standard was accepted for formal adoption at an
international forum in 2003
- North American Plant Protection Organization.
Outline
- New Developments on food irradiation issues in Asia
and the Pacific rim.
- Exports of irradiated foods
- Approval of irradiated food and agricultural products
for international trade. By the Codex Alimentarius and
the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC).
- The UN proposed Electronic certification system for
food exports.
What is food irradiation?
There are three types of radiation used in food processing:
-
high-energy, short-wavelength gamma rays,
X-rays,
accelerated electrons.
None of these sources cause the target itself to become
radioactive, rather, energy passes through the target
creating ions that, in turn, cause disruption to metabolic
processes.
Radiation dose
The unit of radiation dose is the Gray (Gy), often recorded as kGy
(=1,000Gy), and is the quantity of radiation energy absorbed by
the target product.
Treated food is not heated substantially by this process, though
there is heat generated from a Cobalt-60 source. Minimal heat is
generated when using either E-beam or X-ray so that any cold
chain regime, including a frozen cold chain, can be readily
maintained when using these processes.
None of these sources cause the target itself to become
radioactive, rather, energy passes through the target creating ions
that, in turn, cause disruption to metabolic processes.
Why use irradiation?
•
The often-cited advantages of using irradiation treatment for food
products include:
-
reduce food-borne gastro-intestinal pathogens
(E. coli, Salmonella etc.)
reduce food-borne spoilage organisms (rots, moulds etc.)
Disinfestation of insect pests (often targeting quarantinable
pests)
eliminate the need to use toxic chemicals (like methyl bromide, a
known ozone-depleting chemical)
increase shelf-life and delay ripening or senescence
prevent sprouting (garlic, onions, potatoes etc)
treatment can occur after packaging as the package is
"transparent" to irradiation
-
-
History Of Food Irradiation
-
-
USA approval of irradiation to ensure the microbiological
safety of food. (FDA)
Poultry (Approved in 1992)
Red Meat (Approved in 1999)
Also approved: Herbs and spices.
Fruit and vegetables in 2002
Australia, New Zealand Food Authority(ANZFA)
Spices and dried vegetables seasonings approved for
irradiation in 2001 .Tropical Fruit in 2003
Many ASEAN countries have approval in place for various
classes of foods, including herbs and spices, shrimp, frogs
legs, pork sausage.
History (Con’t)
- USDA ruling, effective on 23 October 2002, approves
irradiation of imported product as a phytosanitary treatment for
fruit fly (11 species) and mango seed weevil, regardless of the
host product at doses of between 0.1 and 0.30 kGy.
Food Standards, Australia, New Zealand (FSANZ)
- In February 2003, the Australian New Zealand Ministerial
Council endorsed irradiation (at 0.15 -1.0 kGy) as a technique
for pest disinfestation of fresh tropical fruit (namely: breadfruit,
carambola, custard apple, litchi, longan, mango, mangosteen,
papaya and rambutan).
- However, it should be noted that this FSANZ approval does
not include permission to import irradiated fruit yet. Biosecurity
Australia (BA) have the responsibility to determine appropriate
phytosanitary doses for imports
Current Applications of Food Irradiation
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Gamma Irradiation Doses.
Potatoes and Onions(Control Sprouting)- 0.15 KGy
Fresh Fruit (Delay Ripening)-1.0 KGy
Tropical Fruit (Control Fruit Fly) – 0.15 KGy
Food Grains, Dry Fruit (Control insects)
Chicken and Meat(Extend shelf life)- 5.0 KGy
Fish and Seafood(Eliminate spoilage organisms)- 5.0
KGy
Spices, herbs, condiments (To control insects and
eliminate pathogens) – 5.0 KGy
Other Applications of Irradiation
Decontamination
Fresh Poultry Carcasses- Irradiation to 2.5 KGy will
eliminate Salmonella and Campylobacter under proper
conditions.
Fresh Pork meat- Irradiation to 0.3 KGy can render
larvae of Trichinella spiralis inactive. Irradiation to 0.5
KGy can inactivate Toxoplasma gondii.
Frozen Shrimp – Irradiation to a dose of 3.0 KGy will
inactivate Vibrio spp, Salmonella spp, and Aeromonas
hydrophila.
Other Applications of Irradiation
Disinfestation
Aimed at preventing losses caused by insects in stored
grains, pulses, flour, cereals, coffee beans, dried fruits,
dried nuts.
-
Radiation disinfestation can facilitate trade in fresh
fruits such as citrus, mangoes and papayas which often
harbour insect pests of quarantine importance.
-
The radiation dosage required for insect control is low,
less than 1.0 KGy. The USA has proposed the level of
0.15-0.25 KGy for treatment of 11 species of fruit fly.
Typical Fruit Flies and Seed Weevils in Fruits and
Vegetables
Scientific Name
Bactrocera dorsalis
Ceratitis capitata
Bactorcera cucurbitae
Anastrepha fraterculus
Anastrepha suspensa
Anastrepha ludens
Anastrepha oblique
Anastrepha serpentina
Bactrocera tryoni
Bactrocera latifrons
Cryptorhynchus mangiferae
Common Name
Dose (Gy
Oriental fruit fly
250
Mediterranean fruit fly
225
Melon fruit fly
210
South American fruit fly
150
Caribbean fruit fly
150
Mexican fruit fly
150
West Indian fruit fly
150
Sapote fruit fly
150
(no common name)
150
Malayasian fruit fly
150
Mango seed weevil
300
Identification of target pests
must be more careful than with
other
treatments
because
irradiation is the only treatment
that does not cause acute
mortality.
Therefore, there is no
independent check for efficacy,
and it cannot be certain that
occasional pests are adequately
controlled.
Current Situation
- In 2003, approximately 40 countries use irradiation as an
approved process in food production. Arguably the most
important recent development was the approval in the US
of irradiation of meat for pathogen control and its rapid,
widespread commercial adoption.
- Interestingly, seven countries around the world, including
the USA, now permit the use of irradiation as a
disinfestation and/or quarantine treatment for all fruits and
all vegetables, regardless of type.
Trade in Irradiated foods
- Food Irradiation treatment is becoming increasing viewed as an
alternate treatments for food and agricultural goods in the Asia
Pacific region.
- Greater trade in goods treated with irradiation in recent years
(250,000 Tonnes in Five years)
- Large differences in food irradiation legislation between European
and Asia Pacific countries.
- The global phase out of Methyl Bromide use by 2005 under the
Montreal Protocol is likely to increase the need for treatment of
foods and agricultural commodities by Irradiation.
Trade Con’t)
- Food Irradiation treatment is widely recognised as an effective
method to ensure microbiological food safety in foods consumed
raw, undercooked or minimally processed (such as poultry or
shellfish).
- Large scale irradiation of red meat (mainly ground beef) and
marketing started successfully in the USA in 2000.
- International trade in irradiated fresh fruit and vegetables treated
against fruit fly and mango seed weevil could be implemented in
the near future.
- Treatment of foods for shelf life extension is increasing. Including
Potatoes and onions to inhibit sprouting.
Tolerance to Irradiation of some crops.
-
-
Tolerances to irradiation dose, before any detrimental effects
on quality, are highly dependent on product type, cultivar and
also the irradiation source. For example, with strawberries, a
very tolerant crop, some cultivars show unacceptable
damage at 2 kGy whilst others tolerate 4 kGy.
Despite this variation, many horticultural products have good
tolerances to irradiation levels of up to 0.30 kGy.
Tolerance
at 1.0 kGY
Horticultural Crops
High
Apple, cherry, tropical fruit, nectarine,
peach, raspberry, strawberry, tomato
Medium
Apricot, banana, citrus, mango, pear, plum,
Pineapple
Low
Avocado, grape, squash, broccoli,
Cauliflower, leafy vegetables
IRRADIATION AS A PHYTOSANITARY
TREATMENT (HAWAIIAN SCENARIO)
• Started marketing fruits from Hawaii (irradiated for fruit
fly control in Chicago area) since 1995, under a special
permission from APHIS
• Irradiated fruits (papaya, lychee,
cherimoya, carambola, rambutan)
have been successfully marketed
by over 50 retail stores in the
mid-West, USA
• About 400 metric tonnes of such
fruits marketed (1995-2000)
• A commercial X-ray facility is in
operation in Hilo, HI for this
purpose since July 2000
25
Export Trials in the Asia Pacific
– The IAEA has proposed a series of trial shipments of foods treated
by irradiation for sanitary purposes. The products exported must
meet importing country requirements, be appropriately labelled,
identified and treated in approved facilities.
– USA and Australian legislation is designed to to provide the basis
for an inspection and regulatory system for ongoing future exports
of irradiated foods.
– A trial shipment of Orchids treated by irradiation to disinfest against
Thrips was performed in 2002 to Australia.
Commodities Suitable for food irradiation?
-
Many commodity groupings have good tolerance to
quarantine doses. However, the required dose may
depend on the pest(s) of quarantine concern mitigating
measures and the level of security required by the
importing market.
-
Irradiation Research to date has focused on insects,
particularly fruit flies.There is currently less data available on
the efficacy of irradiation on other insect pests and on
other organisms such as fungi and contaminating weed
seeds.
Market Trials using Food Irradiation?
New Zealand and the US are among the first countries
to approve import of irradiated produce for tropical fruits.
This opens up the prospect that commodities like
tropical fruit, that are both good and approved targets,
will be the first irradiated horticultural crops to be
exported. There are already commercial developments
to this end occurring in north Queensland. that, in turn,
cause disruption to metabolic processes.
The potential for irradiation as an export phytosanitary treatment
Tropical & Sub-tropical fruits
Tolerance to irradiation
Avocado
Variable
Banana
s
Good
Custard
apple
Litchi &
Mang
o
Pineapple
Papaya
Citrus
Melon
apple
Longan
Good
Good
Good
Good
Good
Variable
Good
Effective against insects of quarantine concern
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Alternative to MB and post harvest insecticides
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Alternative to land or in-transit cold treatment
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
N/A
Yes
Yes
High
High
High
Potential to maintain & open new export markets
N/A
Moderate
N/A
High
Apples
Pears
Berries
Cherries
Nuts
Nashi
Persimmon
Stonefruit
Grapes
Tolerance to irradiation
Good
Good
Good
Good
Good
Unknown
Good
Variable
Effective against insects of quarantine concern
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Variabl
e
Yes
Alternative to MB and post harvest insecticides
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Alternative to land or in-transit cold treatment
Yes
Yes
N/A
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Temperate fruits & nuts
Potential to maintain & open new export markets
Vegetables & Flowers
High
Asparagus
Tolerance to irradiation
Good
Effective against insects of quarantine concern
Yes
Alternative to MB and post harvest insecticides
Yes
Alternative to land or in-transit cold treatment
N/A
Potential to maintain & open new export markets
Garlic
Good
Mushroom
Good
Onion
High
Potat
o
Tomato
Root
Other
Cut
Vegetables
Vegetables
Flower
s
Good
Good
Good
Good
Variable
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Variabl
e
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Current Irradiation Activities in the Asia
Pacific
- The Republic of Korea uses irradiation as an alternative to
ethylene oxide. An average of 2000 tonnes of product is
treated by irradiation each year.
- PR China irradiates a wide variety of foods,(50,000 tonnes
per year including vegetables, herbs and spices and traded
domestically and internationally.
- The Kingdom of Thailand has commenced commercial
irradiation for certain food products, including spices and
Nham sausages.
- The PNRI in the Republic of the Philippines has conducted
research trials for treatment of food with irradiation.
Asia-Pacific Country Irradiation Regulations
Country
Irradiated Food Commercial
List
Irradiation
Bangladesh
China
India
Indonesia
Korea
Malaysia
New Zealand
Philippines
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
Singapore
Thailand
Vietnam
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Codex/IPPC
Standards
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Domestic
Standards
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
No
Yes
Yes
Potential
Exporters
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Summary of US Regulations on Irradiation as a
Phytosanitary Treatment
 Hawaiian Regulation (7 CFR Part 318 1989)
 1996 USDA/APHIS Policy (7 CFR Part 319)
 1997 Amended Hawaiian Regulation (7 CFR 300 and 318)
 1998 Amended Hawaiian Regulation (7 CFR 318)
 2002 Final Rule : Irradiation Phytosanitary Treatment of
fruits
and vegetables (7 CFR 305 and 319)
Australian Irradiation Regulations
– Australian, New Zealand Food Standards Code: Section 1.5.3,
Chapter 4 allows applications for irradiation on a case by case
basis.
– Applicants must demonstrate a technological need or a food
hygiene purpose. Treated food or commodities must be
labelled.
– Must also verify the safety of the treatment for the food and
any nutritional impact.
– The first application for irradiation, for herbs, spices and
herbal infusions (Teas) was assessed and approved in Sept 2001
by The Australian Ministerial Council.
– A second application, for irradiation of tropical fruits was
approved by the Australian Ministerial Council in February
2003.
HACCP and GAP
- Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) is the
internationally recognised method of managing food safety risks
and is a critical component of any food safety plan.
- Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) minimise and manage most of
the food and feed safety risks that rise on farm.
- The importance of both HACCP and GAP being applied prior to
any trade in irradiated food or agricultural crops is critical to the
success of ongoing trade.
- The role of irradiation in combination with other processes is to
ensure hygienic quality of composite foods
The Development of Food
Irradiation Certification
– FAO/IAEA workshops in Australia (Dec 2000) and in Brazil (May
2001) developed model documents for certification of irradiated
food treated for sanitary reasons and traded internationally.
– For phytosanitary irradiation treatments, the current ISPM
international standards for phytosanitary measures and export
certification systems are recommended.
– The Codex Alimentarius Commission has reviewed a IAEA model
certification for exports of irradiated foods treated for sanitary
reasons at the CCFICS meeting in Australia in 2002 and 2003
Food Irradiation Certification
– Issued by appropriate authority in exporting country to indicate
foods meet requirements of importing country.
– Model certificates provide standard format.
– Importing country should require certification when goods
irradiated or purpose of irradiation is regulated by them.
– Accompanies food in international trade.
– Presented to food control authority upon arrival in importing
country.
Conclusions
– It is the responsibility of Industry and Governments to
ensure that consumers have confidence in the foods they eat
and the methods of preparation.
– The WHO has endorsed the safety and wholesomeness of
irradiated food and encouraged its appropriate use as a
sanitary treatment.
– Harmonisation of food irradiation regulations between
countries will simplify trade and hence food safety.
– The use of Codex and IPPC approved certification for
sanitary and phytosanitary products will enhance and
simplify international trade in products treated by
irradiation.
End
Thank you for your attention.