The issue has generated much debate inside and outside Parliament, with strong positions taken in favour and against. The Food Safety Advisory Centre thought it might be helpful to provide factual answers to some of the questions many have been asking about the process. The leaflet is designed to give factual information on a subject which needs to be understood if we are to exercise our right as consumers, to make a balanced choice as to whether or not we purchase and consume food which has been irradiated. Yours sincerely Michael Young Director, The Food Safety Advisory Centre. Food irradiation is a processing treatment applied to food.
Irradiation is produced in one of two ways.
The process involves passing the food through a radiation field at a set speed to control the amount of energy or dose absorbed by the food. At no time does the food come into contact with the radioactive source of gamma radiation and the process does not render the food radioactive. Irradiation produces benefits such as destroying of the pathogens responsible for food borne illnesses, destroying insect pests in grain and other foods, reducing microbiological load in spices, delaying sprouting in potatoes and onions, and thus greatly extending the storage life of fresh food. In order to maintain of food supply which is both safe and wholesome, man has developed various methods of food preservation to control food spoilage, food borne diseases and insect infestations. These include drying, salting and smoking which have subsequently been supplemented with freezing, refrigeration, canning, pasteurisation and chemical treatment.