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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.