Editing Food irradiation (section)

====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>