Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 5 May 2010
173 Deputy Trevor Sargent asked the Minister for Health and Children the legislation and regulations that govern the placing of irradiated products, including fresh produce, on the market in the EU and here; if she will report on the evidence of irradiated products being offered for sale and the labelling requirements which are involved for such products; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18009/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe marketing and labelling of irradiated foods within the EU is governed by the Framework Directive (1999/2/EC) on the approximation of the laws of the Member States concerning foods and food ingredients treated with ionising radiation and the Implementing Directive (1999/3/EC) on the establishment of a Community list of foods and food ingredients treated with ionising radiation.
The Framework Directive addresses general and technical aspects for carrying out the irradiation process, labelling of irradiated foods and conditions for authorising food irradiation whereas the Implementing Directive provides a list of foods and food ingredients that are authorised across the EU for irradiation. Directives 1999/2/EC and 1999/3/EC were transposed into Irish legislation by European Communities (Foodstuffs Treated with Ionising Radiation) Regulations 2000, Statutory Instrument No. 297 of 2000.
Currently only one food category (dried aromatic herbs, spices and vegetable seasonings) is listed and has EU authorisation under Directive 1999/3/EC with a further 29 foods available under Member States authorisations. All of these food products are only permissible on the market provided they have been irradiated by EU approved facilities and comply with the labelling requirements for irradiated foods as set out in the relevant EU and national legislation. The main labelling requirements for any irradiated food or food containing an irradiated ingredient is that the label must carry the word "irradiated" in a prominent position either as part of the main label or next to the ingredient that has been irradiated.
Routine checks on food that may have been irradiated are carried out by the Health Service Executive under Service Contract to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI). In addition, the FSAI may also carry out sampling and analysis of specific food types where there are grounds to believe that certain foods may have been irradiated but not labelled appropriately. Analysis of 294 such food samples in 2009 identified 4 foods that had been irradiated but were not carrying the required labelling.
