Would consumers accept foods treatedwith radiation
if they understand the benefit?
Views of a Japanese Consumers’ Association on Food Irradiation

Mariko ICHIKAWA
Roundtable for Food communication,Japan
IRRADIATION FOR LIFE: Safe, Green and Growing

Contents

Ⅰ. Why we focused on food irradiation?
Ⅱ. Our findings from learning and experiments.

Ⅲ. We’d like to share our experiences with others
and reply to their questions and concerns.
Ⅳ. Our style ：We overcame the fear about foodirradiation in this way

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Ⅰ. The reason why we focused on "food irradiation"
I introduce myself・・・◆ 2006,
we formed Roundtable for Food Communication.
Food irradiation is our main theme from the beginning.
Our opinions and the results obtained by scientificlearning and experience are open to the public.

◆In 2005,
I participated in the government’s committee on foodirradiation as a consumer representative.
I learned that consumers were told nothing!

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Ⅰ. The reason why we focused on "food irradiation"

Irradiated Food for consumers
・ We have never seen
・ Hard to understand the purpose and benefit.
・ The words “irradiation” and “radiation” soundscary to consumers.

Unacceptable, since it seems dangerous!
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Ⅱ．Our findings from learning and experiments

We would like to understandwhat is meant by the food irradiation.
・ Visit to an irradiation facility ： JAEA-Takasaki

・ Looks and smells of irradiated foods
・ Shelf life and quality of vegetables and fruits

Food irradiation building (JAEA Takasaki)
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We were surprised！
・Thickness and weight of the door of irradiationchamber!
・ Immediately after irradiation, we could enter
the inside!
・ Irradiation would change the hardness!

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Experience experiment: Material and a method
ItemKamaboko
CheeseCanned Tuna
Bacon
Milk
Filling Tofu

Aim ofobservation
・Appearanceand Taste・Irradiation
off-odorCondition
1 kGy（R.T.）
4 kGy（R.T.）
1 kGy（0℃）
4 kGy（0℃）
1 kGy（R.T.）
4 kGy（R.T.）

Udon-Noodle
Cucumbers
Broccoli
Cut vegetables

・Shelf life
extension

10 kGy（R.T.）

・FlavorPotato10 kGy（R.T.）
5 kGy（R.T.）

Ginger

Garlic1 kGy（R.T.）・Sprouting
inhibition

50 Gy（R.T.）
5 kGy（R.T.）

・Over dose
irradiation

150 Gy（R.T.）・Sprouting
inhibition

600 Gy（R.T.）
Potatos

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300 Gy（R.T.）
1.2 kGy（R.T.）
2.4 kGy（R.T.）

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Gingers and many garlic were contained in the bags.

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We are doing the sensory test.
We compared foods
irradiated at different dose levels
with un-treated controls.

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The conclusion obtained from experience
Indeed!

・Food irradiation makes it possible to sterilize
foods at low temperature .
・ Some foods are damaged after irradiation.
Irradiation works better for some foods.
・ The dose should not be too high or too low

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Ⅱ．Our findings from learning and experiments◆ “Garlic letters"
We publish the newsletters reporting
our experimental results andscientific visits on the Web.
(latest issue : No. 42)◆Presentation at the Meetings:
Since 2009, we have presented
our findings at academic meetings;
・radiation effect on various foods
・results of sensory evaluation

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Ⅲ. We reply to consumers' questions and concerns.

Consumers' questions and concerns
1. Irradiated food is harmful to human health, isn’t it ?
2. Irradiated food is not delicious, is it?
3. Once irradiation is permitted to food other than potatoes,
all the food will be irradiated ?
4. Can the processor hide the fact of over dose
irradiation from us?

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Ⅲ. We reply to consumers' questions and concerns

1. Are irradiated foods harmful to health?
◆ WHO, EFSA, U.S. FDA and other food safety
organizations performed scientific evaluations about
irradiated food, and judged it as “safe.”
The government of Japan ignores these assessments;
they do not affirm nor deny these results.
◆ In 2011, we proposed a safety assessment of irradiatedfood to the Food Safety Commission,
the risk assessment organization.
The FSC answered that they will not carry out theevaluation until the risk management organization(Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare) requests it.
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Ⅲ. We reply to consumers' questions and concerns

2. Irradiated food is not delicious?

Irradiation does not change the taste.
Potatoes are delicious after irradiation.

Visit to the irradiation facility at Shihoro

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Ⅲ. We reply to consumers' questions and concerns

2. Irradiated food is not delicious?
Irradiated spices are more spicy !
Comparison of irradiated spices with steam-heated spices
in chicken curry (blind test)

Two woks of chicken curry cooked at thesame time following the same recipe.
Which contains irradiated spices?
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At a cooking studio of a university in Tokyo

士幌の照射施設見学

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Ⅲ. We reply to consumers' questions and concerns
3. Once irradiation is permitted forfood other than potatoes,
will all foods be irradiated?

4. Can the processor hide the factof over dose irradiation from us?

We understood that quality changed easily
when food was irradiated at higher doseSome foods are not suitable for irradiation. than needed.
Apple “Suntugaru”
Dried pruneun-irradiated500 Gy* immediately after irradiation.

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un-irradiated

2 kGysmall difference

4 kGy
too soft

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Ⅳ．Our style◆ To share our surprise and experience,

we held …

・”Café round table” a free seminar
open to the public and the media
on timely subject
A sensory test for raw cattle liverappeared in a news paper .

・A panel discussion with young
government officials from food safetyadministration.
Look! These areirradiated potatoes!

It is the firsttime.
A difference isclear!

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Ⅳ．Our style

Unacceptable, since it seems dangerous!
・ Pleasure to learn actively
・ Surprised with what we had not known
・ Stimulated by scientific experiences
・ Appreciate the opportunity to share our experience

We would like to share our surprise withother people who are not familiar withthis topic.
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Acknowledgement
Dr Yasuhiko KOBAYASHI & Dr Masahiro Kikuchi
Takasaki Advanced Radiation Research Institute,Japan Atomic Energy Agency
Ms. Etuko CHIBA , Ms.Tomoko IITUKA & Ms.Midori IIJIMA
All the members of Roundtable for Food communication, and all of you.

Roundtable for Food communication
HP: http://food-entaku.org
e-mail：entaku000@yahoo.co.jp
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