Irradiation of tropical fruits
Updated March 2003
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has approved an application seeking permissions to irradiate a range of tropical fruits (breadfruit, carambola, custard apple, litchi, longan, mango, mangosteen, papaya and rambutan) as a phytosanitary measure (Application A443).
The aim is to have available an effective technique that will reduce or alleviate pest infestation in selected tropical fruits. The Applicant argued, in part, that such permissions would facilitate trade and market access within Australia and between Australia, New Zealand and other countries.
Has FSANZ checked the safety of irradiated tropical fruits?
The safety of irradiating tropical fruits has been examined by FSANZ. The available studies on fruits indicate that there are no safety concerns. There are no changes to the composition of the fruits following irradiation that are likely to cause public health and safety concerns. Irradiation of tropical fruits up to a maximum of 1 kGy (kiloGrey) employing Good Manufacturing/Irradiation Practices is considered safe for Australian and New Zealand consumers.
Does irradiation diminish the nutritional value of tropical fruits?
Irradiation can cause changes to both macro and micronutrients in foods, depending on the irradiation dose. The available research indicates, however, that carbohydrates, proteins, fatty acids, minerals and trace elements in tropical fruits undergo very minimal alteration during irradiation.
When the nutritional changes induced by irradiation are considered in conjunction with the FSANZ analysis of dietary intake of nutrients, t the irradiation of tropical fruits is found not to have a significant nutritional effect on the diet of the Australian and New Zealand populations. The tropical fruits being considered for irradiation are not significant sources of certain vitamins, including beta-carotene, folate, vitamin C and vitamin B 1 within the context of the total dietary intake.
Does irradiation affect the quality of tropical fruits?
At certain doses of irradiation, particularly, at doses close to the proposed maximum of 1 kGy, the quality of the fruit can be affected. However, the final quality of irradiated fruit is a commercial and marketing issue for growers of the fruit and operators of irradiation facilities. This will ultimately determine consumer acceptance of irradiation-treated produce.
Is there a demonstrated technological need to irradiate tropical fruits?
Yes Irradiation of tropical fruits would provide an alternative to current disinfestation methods for pests and the proposed maximum dose of 1 kGy will provide sufficient scope to address the most sensitive pests of quarantine significance to either Australia or New Zealand.
How will consumers know if a food has been irradiated?
A package of food that has been irradiated must be labelled with a statement that the food has been treated with ionising radiation. The Standard provides three examples of such statements. These are ' Treated with ionising radiation' , ' Treated with ionising electrons' and ' Irradiated (name of food)'. It also contains requirements for labelling in relation to irradiated ingredients, and in relation to food not otherwise required to bear a label. The ANZFA document, Irradiated Food - Information to Applicants, states that the use of the international radura symbol is optional and, if used, should be in close proximity to the name of the food. However, the use of the symbol would be in addition to the statement that the food has been treated with ionising radiation.
Would Australia and New Zealand be the only countries to approve irradiated tropical fruits or other fruits?
The United States approves the use of irradiation on selected tropical fruits up to a maximum dose of 1 kGy for quarantine purposes. The United Kingdom approves irradiation of fruit (includes fungi, tomatoes and rhubarb) at a maximum dose of 2 kGy for the purpose of disinfestation of pests which may also include treatments for non-quarantine purposes such as shelf-life extension.
Further information
Further questions on the application and food irradiation in general have been provided in a question and answer format in the Draft Assessment Report for application A443, which can be found on the FSANZ website at www.foodstandards.gov.au. A fact sheet on the process of food irradiation can also be found on the FSANZ website.
In addition, the International Consultative Group on Food Irradiation (ICGFI, 1999) has produced a booklet titled Facts about Food Irradiation which is available from their website (www.iaea.org/icgfi)