Editing Food irradiation (section)

===Food safety===
In 2003, the Codex Alimentarius removed any upper dose limit for food irradiation as well as clearances for specific foods, declaring that all are safe to irradiate. Countries such as Pakistan and Brazil have adopted the Codex without any reservation or restriction.

Standards that describe calibration and operation for radiation dosimetry, as well as procedures to relate the measured dose to the effects achieved and to report and document such results, are maintained by the [[American Society for Testing and Materials]] (ASTM international) and are also available as ISO/ASTM standards.<ref>(see Annual Book of ASTM Standards, vol. 12.02, West Conshohocken, PA, US)</ref>

All of the rules involved in processing food are applied to all foods before they are irradiated.

====United States====
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the agency responsible for regulation of radiation sources in the United States.<ref name=fda/> Irradiation, as defined by the FDA is a "[[food additive]]" as opposed to a food process and therefore falls under the food additive regulations. Each food approved for irradiation has specific guidelines in terms of minimum and maximum dosage as determined safe by the FDA.<ref name=fda/><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?CFRPart=179&showFR=1&subpartNode=21:3.0.1.1.10.2 | title=CFR - Code of Federal Regulations Title 21 | access-date=July 25, 2022 | archive-date=October 25, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211025182753/https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfCFR/CFRSearch.cfm?CFRPart=179&showFR=1&subpartNode=21:3.0.1.1.10.2 | url-status=live }}</ref> Packaging materials containing the food processed by irradiation must also undergo approval. The [[United States Department of Agriculture]] (USDA) amends these rules for use with meat, poultry, and fresh fruit.<ref>USDA/FSIS and USDA/APHIS, various final rules on pork, poultry and fresh fruits: Fed.Reg. 51:1769–1771 (1986); 54:387-393 (1989); 57:43588-43600 (1992); and others more</ref>

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved the use of low-level irradiation as an alternative treatment to pesticides for fruits and vegetables that are considered hosts to a number of insect pests, including fruit flies and seed weevils. Under bilateral agreements that allows less-developed countries to earn income through food exports agreements are made to allow them to irradiate fruits and vegetables at low doses to kill insects, so that the food can avoid quarantine.

The [[U.S. Food and Drug Administration]] and the [[U.S. Department of Agriculture Cotton Annex|U.S. Department of Agriculture]] have approved irradiation of the following foods and purposes:
* Packaged refrigerated or frozen red meat<ref>anon.,[http://ccr.ucdavis.edu/irr/inus2.shtml Is this technology being used in other countries?] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071105014642/http://ccr.ucdavis.edu/irr/inus2.shtml|date=November 5, 2007}} retrieved on November 15, 2007</ref> — to control pathogens (E. Coli O157:H7 and Salmonella) and to extend shelf life<ref name="FMI">{{cite web|url=http://www.fmi.org/docs/media-backgrounder/irradiation.pdf|title=Food Irradiation-FMI Background|date=February 5, 2003|publisher=Food Marketing Institute|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714161809/http://www.fmi.org/docs/media-backgrounder/irradiation.pdf|archive-date=July 14, 2014|url-status=dead|access-date=June 2, 2014|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
* Packaged poultry — control pathogens (Salmonella and Camplylobacter)<ref name="FMI" />
* Fresh fruits, vegetables, and grains — to control insects and inhibit growth, ripening and sprouting<ref name="FMI" />
* Pork — to control trichinosis<ref name="FMI" />
* Herbs, spices and vegetable seasonings<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ccr.ucdavis.edu/irr/inus1.shtml |title=Are Irradiated Foods in the Supermarket? |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=7 May 2000 |website=Center for Consumer Research |publisher=[[University of California, Davis]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071105002735/http://ccr.ucdavis.edu/irr/inus1.shtml |archive-date=5 November 2007 |access-date=15 March 2020}}</ref> — to control insects and microorganisms<ref name="FMI" />
* Dry or dehydrated enzyme preparations — to control insects and microorganisms<ref name="FMI" />
* White potatoes — to inhibit sprout development<ref name="FMI" />
* Wheat and wheat flour — to control insects<ref name="FMI" />
* Loose or bagged fresh iceberg lettuce and spinach<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm093651.htm|title=Irradiation: A safe measure for safer iceberg lettuce and spinach|date=August 22, 2008|publisher=US FDA|access-date=December 31, 2009|archive-date=January 12, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100112072232/http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm093651.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>
* Crustaceans (lobster, shrimp, and crab)<ref name=fda/>
* Shellfish (oysters, clams, mussels, and scallops)<ref name=fda/>

====European Union====
European law stipulates that all member countries must allow the sale of irradiated dried aromatic herbs, spices and vegetable seasonings.<ref name="EUregulation">EU: Food Irradiation&nbsp;– Community Legislation https://ec.europa.eu/food/safety/biosafety/irradiation/legislation_en {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210106104500/https://ec.europa.eu/food/safety/biosafety/irradiation/legislation_en |date=January 6, 2021 }}</ref> However, these Directives allow Member States to maintain previous clearances food categories the EC's Scientific Committee on Food (SCF) had previously approved (the approval body is now the European Food Safety Authority). Presently, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Italy, Netherlands, and Poland allow the sale of many different types of irradiated foods.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX:52009XC1124(02) |title=''List of Member States' authorisations of food and food ingredients which may be treated with ionizing radiation.'' (2009-11-24) |access-date=2021-01-04 |archive-date=December 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211224163343/https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX:52009XC1124(02) |url-status=live }}</ref> Before individual items in an approved class can be added to the approved list, studies into the toxicology of each of such food and for each of the proposed dose ranges are requested. It also states that irradiation shall not be used "as a substitute for hygiene or health practices or good manufacturing or agricultural practice". These Directives only control food irradiation for food retail and their conditions and controls are not applicable to the irradiation of food for patients requiring sterile diets. In 2021 the most common food items irradiated were frog legs at 65.1%, poultry 20.6% and dried aromatic herbs, spices and vegetables seasoning.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2021/03/eu-food-irradiation-report-shows-continued-decline/|title=EU food irradiation report shows continued decline|access-date=2021-03-23|archive-date=March 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210324142126/https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2021/03/eu-food-irradiation-report-shows-continued-decline/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Due to the [[European Single Market]], any food, even if irradiated, must be allowed to be marketed in any other member state even if a general ban of food irradiation prevails, under the condition that the food has been irradiated legally in the state of origin.

Furthermore, imports into the EC are possible from third countries if the irradiation facility had been inspected and approved by the EC and the treatment is legal within the EC or some Member state.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX:32002D0840 |title=''Commission Decision of 23 October 2004 adopting the list of approved facilities in third countries for the irradiation of foods.'' |access-date=2021-01-04 |archive-date=November 30, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211130210240/https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX:32002D0840 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec/2002/840 |title=Consolidated text (with amendments): ''Commission Decision of 23 October 2002 adopting the list of approved facilities in third countries for the irradiation of foods '' |access-date=2021-01-04 |archive-date=April 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220417094649/https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec/2002/840 |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Australia====
In Australia, following cat deaths<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Child G, Foster DJ, Fougere BJ, Milan JM, Rozmanec M | title = Ataxia and paralysis in cats in Australia associated with exposure to an imported gamma-irradiated commercial dry pet food | journal = Australian Veterinary Journal | volume = 87 | issue = 9 | pages = 349–51 | date = September 2009 | pmid = 19703134 | doi = 10.1111/j.1751-0813.2009.00475.x }}</ref> after irradiated cat food consumption and producer's voluntary recall,<ref>{{cite web | title = Origen Cat Food | url = https://www.ava.com.au/sites/default/files/documents/Other/Orijen_Australia_Consumer_Release.pdf | date = 26 November 2008 | publisher = Champion Pet Foods | access-date = December 30, 2022 | archive-date = April 21, 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180421084622/http://www.ava.com.au/sites/default/files/documents/Other/Orijen_Australia_Consumer_Release.pdf | url-status = dead }}</ref> cat food irradiation was banned.<ref>{{cite web | first = Kelly | last = Burke | name-list-style = vanc | title = Cat-food irradiation banned as pet theory proved | url = https://www.smh.com.au/national/catfood-irradiation-banned-as-pet-theory-proved-20090529-bq8h.html | work = The Sidney Morning Herald | date = 30 May 2009 | access-date = December 30, 2022 | archive-date = December 30, 2022 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20221230174241/https://www.smh.com.au/national/catfood-irradiation-banned-as-pet-theory-proved-20090529-bq8h.html | url-status = live }}</ref>