Editor’s note: This article was originally published in the January 2018 edition of Food Irradiation Update and is posted here with permission of the author.
The following is a recap of progress made worldwide with food irradiation, with a focus on advancements in the past 12 months. More food was irradiated in 2017 than in …
The government of Canada’s announcement this week of changes to its food and drug regulations to permit irradiation of ground beef was not a surprise. It was a long time coming, though, with industry having requested the change in 1998.
Canada has already approved radiation to treat potatoes, onions, wheat, flour, spices and seasoning preparations.…
Canadians have 10 days left if they wish to weigh in on the question of whether their government should allow ground beef to be irradiated to kill pathogens such as E. coli. It’s the second time this century that Health Canada has sought public comment on the topic. In 2002 a backlash of public opinion…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will allow irradiation on crab, shrimp, lobster, crayfish and prawns to control foodborne pathogens and extend shelf life. After a safety assessment considered potential toxicity, the effect of irradiation on nutrients, and potential microbiological risk, the agency decided to amend current food additive regulations to allow “the safe use…
In October 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released a draft risk assessment on the levels of contaminants in spices. The report made headlines nationwide for including the finding that 12 percent of spices imported to the U.S. were contaminated with everything from insects and rodent excrement to human hair and staples. Another major…
Down in Pass Christian at Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, as the adjoining waters of the Gulf of Mexico warm, Crystal Seas Seafood is offering its customers something new that the seafood company is calling “Crystal Clear Oysters.” The “live,” in-shell oysters are kept cold from reef to table for a promised reef-fresh flavor.…
Meat and poultry producers who use ionized radiation to kill pathogens in product now have expanded options, thanks to two rules published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Friday. The first rule allows for the irradiation of unrefrigerated raw meat. Previously, only refrigerated or frozen meats could be irradiated, but FDA says research on…
A public opinion survey has surfaced in Canada that shows folks do not know much about food irradiation, but suggests they might support its use.
The 65-year old Consumer Association of Canada released the Food Irradiation Survey last week. It was conducted last Feb. 7 and 8 by Angus Reid Public Opinion in Vancouver, BC. …
Since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began clearing irradiated foods for sale in 1963, few such foods have attained much prevalence within grocery store aisles. In fact, most markets still do not carry irradiated meats like beef, pork and poultry, despite those products becoming cleared for sale in the 1980s and 90s.
Several …
When it comes to ensuring that food enters the market carrying as few pathogens and insects as possible, the large majority of health, governmental and scholarly authorities seem to agree — food irradiation is an effective final safety measure.
In the face of the country’s worst outbreak of foodborne illness in more than 10 years, …
