A safe technology for safe food
Irradiation is one of the most promising and effective treatments for many types of food preservation. It can reduce food losses (due to insect damage, disease and premature sprouting of tubers) increase the possibilities of expanding intra-regional and international food trade. Although now practised by many industrialised and developing countries, there is considerable potential for its wider application.
Many countries are looking at the advantages to be gained with irradiating 'high value/low volume crops' such as spices and fruits. Irradiation improves the hygiene quality of spices so that the strict controls imposed by big importers, such as the US and EU, can be met. South Africa, for instance, produces large amounts of spices, is already a world leader of commercially irradiated food and therefore could be instrumental in the transfer of irradiation technology to other spice producing countries in Africa, including Ethiopia and Madagascar.
Irradiation also plays an important role in reducing the risk of transfer of pests and diseases from one country or region to another. Food products contaminated by soil, such as cassava tubers, are often infested with insects or nematodes. These are difficult to kill without the use of intensive chemical fumigation but chemicals, such as methyl bromide, are often dangerous to use and harmful to the environment and most chemicals of this type are to be phased out in the next five to ten years. Irradiation is an effective alternative, rendering the pests sterile so that they are unable to breed and establish themselves in a new location.
In addition, the risk of food-borne diseases caused by Salmonella and E.coli pathogens can also be reduced with irradiation. This technology is ideally suited for foods of animal origin, especially those to be consumed raw or minimally processed. Rather like thermally pasteurising milk, irradiation can ensure the hygiene quality of meat and seafood products without significantly changing quality, taste or texture.
To help developing countries progress in irradiation technology, international organisations such as FAO and IAEA are able to provide support in the training of irradiation personnel to meet international standards. IAEA also provides advice on radiation safety regulations (to protect operator and environmental safety) and the Joint FAO/IAEA Division has devised a set of regulations (in line with the Codex General Standard) to provide standards for irradiated food.
South Africa, already has its own food irradiation regulations but has agreed to revise them by the year 2000 in order to satisfy the Codex General Standard, which now forms the basis of international trade in food.
