WRITTEN QUESTION E-1380/02

by Paul Lannoye (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(14 May 2002)

Subject: Importing of foodstuffs and food ingredients from third countries

Article 9 of Directive 1999/2/EC(1) states inter alia that a foodstuff treated with ionising radiation may not be imported from a third country unless it was treated in an irradiation facility approved by the Community and appearing on a list drawn up by the Commission.

Can the Commission provide the list of these facilities?

Also, Brazil allows irradiation of almost all foodstuffs, including fruit. Irradiation of oranges is allowed there to increase the length of time during which they can be stored before being sold. In addition, fruit juices, fruit juice concentrates and fruit pulp can be irradiated to check for bacterial contamination.

In view of the fact that many types of orange juice present on the European market are reconstituted from concentrates and pulp from Brazil and that it is difficult, if not impossible, to detect whether a fruit juice has been irradiated, how can one be sure that the fruit juices present on EU markets have not undergone such treatment?

(1) OJ L 66, 13.3.1999, p. 16.

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(21 June 2002)

According to Article 9(1), third indent, of Directive 1999/2/EC of the Parliament and the Council on the approximation of the laws of Member States concerning foods and food ingredients treated with ionising radiation, irradiated food may not be imported from a third country unless it was treated in an irradiation facility approved by the Community. So far, irradiation facilities in South Africa and Hungary have applied for approval. The Food and Veterinary Office of the Commission has inspected the facilities and examined the control capacity of the competent authorities in these countries. The reports are available on the following web site of Directorate General (DG) Health and Consumer Protection of the Commission: http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/inspections/fi/reports/index_en.html

After appropriate follow-up by the facilities and competent authorities to the recommendations of the Food and Veterinary Office, the Commission will propose formal approval of the facilities.

According to information available to the Commission, oranges, either raw or in any kind of processed form, are not irradiated neither in Brazil nor in any other country. Orange juice and orange concentrates need to be shipped for export at 5 °C in order to avoid that they turn sour. Irradiation would only be an advantage if cold storage could be avoided.

The Commission would welcome any relevant information on the irradiation of oranges in third countries, if available.

In accordance with Article 7(3) of Directive 1999/2/EC, the Commission has given a mandate to the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) to standardise detection methods for irradiated foods. So far, CEN has standardised eight methods. Information on the methods is available on the following web site of DG Health and Consumer Protection of the Commission: http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/sfp/sfp_index_en.html.

Some of the methods standardised by CEN may be applicable, e.g. EN 13784 and possibly EN 1788 for oranges, EN 1787 for orange juice and EN 13783 for all orange products. However, at this stage, scientific proof of their reliability is not available.