Overseas, at least 40 countries have been granted clearances or authorisations to irradiate specific foods. The way regulations are administered result in differences in these countries as to whether final authorisations and specific regulations have been put in place. Countries that irradiate food commercially in small volumes include Belgium, China, France, the Netherlands, South Africa and the United States. Another 10-15 countries occasionally irradiate small food batches for research and market testing purposes. The overwhelming consensus of the scientific community is that irradiation produces safe and nutritious food when carried out in accordance with specified standards.
Food is irradiated by exposing it to a source of ionising radiation.
As the gamma rays pass through the food the radiation damages the genetic material of the contaminating organisms so that they can no longer survive or multiply. Like pasteurisation, it can make the food safer to eat by destroying bacteria. Unlike pasteurisation, it can be used on solids as well as liquids. The food does not become radioactive for two reasons. First, the gamma rays from cobalt-60 used in food irradiation are not energetic enough to make foods radioactive.