Food irradiation remains a little-known and marginal practice in Europe. The European Parliament has only approved spices, vegetable seasonings, and dried aromatic herbs to be irradiated for trade between European Union countries. Some European countries like France, Belgium, the Netherlands and the UK allow the irradiation of other products.

The push by the food industry to expand irradiation is part of the effort to make food production more globalized. Globalization of the food industry leads to food produced for the cheapest price possible by facilities owned by big international companies and then sold long distances. Food irradiation is a part of this plan because it enables food to be shipped longer distances and stay on shelves longer. To protect small and medium-size farmers, as well as consumers, irradiated food should be opposed in Europe.

The EU has placed on ban on further irradiation approvals due to scientific research questioning the safety of some chemicals formed when food is exposed to radiation. The “radiolytic products” in question are cyclobutanones which have been linked to genetic damage.

Anti-irradiation organizations have launched a campaign working to maintain the ban on further irradiation approvals in the EU and to challenge existing approvals to reduce the amount of irradiated food in Europe.

France

France allows the irradiation of frozen herbs, garlic, shallots, casein, egg whites, frozen shrimp, poultry, frozen frog’s legs and additional foods.

The French Collective Against Food is a coalition of food, environment, anti-nuclear and other consumer organizations. The French collective is writing a report on the global food irradiation situation and plans to publish the report and disseminate it through member organizations and the media in 2006. The report will be used to try to reinvigorate the debate on food irradiation in France and Europe.

UK and Ireland

Irradiation monitoring is taking place in Europe, and, both the UK and Irish governments reported finding illegally irradiated food products in 2006. The UK reported that half of all food supplements tested were either wholly irradiated or contained an irradiated ingredient. None of the irradiated products were labeled.

In February 2006, AEA Technology (AEAT), a company that was formerly part of the UK Atomic Energy Authority, was found guilty of a series of failings that led to a Cobalt-60 transportation incident two years ago. The company was reprimanded and fined for exposing its employees and subcontractors “to potentially very high risks from radiation.”

In Ireland, 14 samples of noodles tested positive for irradiated ingredients. None of them were labeled. All irradiated products were removed from sale.

– Excerpt from Food Irradiation Around the World