Quotable Quotes:
Under a joint Framework Equivalency Work Plan (FEA), Thailand would be allowed to initially ship six irradiated fruits: mango, mangosteen, pineapple, rambutan, litchi and longan. Thailand is hoping the agreement paves the way for Thai producers to send other pest-free fruits, such as coconuts, to the U.S. market. Produce News Headlines

"The United States is looking forward to eating (irradiated) Indian mangoes,"

US President George W. Bush

The outdated EU regulation of food irradiation has prevented this safe and effective technology to be used to combat foodborne illnesses of its populations.  By denying the wider use of food irradiation, the EU in effect has denied the right not only of its citizens to a safe food but also of its trading partners to use this safe and effective technology to enhance safety of food for trading with the EU.   With the EU celebrates 20^th anniversary of its "Single Market Act” this year, has the time not come for the EU to overhaul its regulations on food irradiation to be in harmony with an international standard to avoid being a trade barrier in safe food? Paisan Loaharanu, Executive Director, International Council on Food Irradiation and Adjunct Professor of Food Safety, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan.

"The increasing widespread use of irradiation of ground beef in the U.S. since early 2000 had contributed significantly to the reduction of foodborne illness caused by this pathogen. (The record shows that over 10,000 metric tons of irradiated ground beef with clear labeling were sold in supermarkets (and other retail outlets) all over the U.S. in 2003.)  In fact, no illness or death caused by E. coli 0157:H7 was reported from consumption of irradiated ground beef after such a product was offered for sale starting mid-2000."  Paisan Loaharanu, Executive Director, International Council on Food Irradiation and Adjunct Professor of Food Safety, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan.

"The public needs to be aware that current federal regulations do not guarantee there are no salmonella on raw products. It continues to be buyer beware." Dr. J. Glenn Morris Jr., chairman of the department of epidemiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and former official in the Agriculture Department's Food Safety and Inspection Service.

In This Update:

USDA allows irradiated Thai fruit into the United States

United States to lift 17-year ban on import of Indian mangoes
Decks cleared for export of irradiated mangoes to America
Irradiated Mango Diplomacy

Has the European Union become a barrier to trade in safe food?

Radiation Processing to Ensure Safety of Minimally Processed Carrot and Cucumber
Incidence of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli, E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella and L. Monocytogenes in Retail Fresh Ground Beef, Sprout, and Mushrooms.
More Salmonella in Chicken

Food Irradiation, Crop Protection, Food Safety, Fruits and Vegetables and Meat and Poultry (Institute of Food Science & Technology)

WASHINGTON -- Thailand is set to become the first country allowed to send irradiated fruits to the United States, according to a Jan. 31 agreement signed in Bangkok between Thai and U.S. officials.

Under a joint Framework Equivalency Work Plan (FEA), Thailand would be allowed to initially ship six irradiated fruits: mango, mangosteen, pineapple, rambutan, litchi and longan. Thailand is hoping the agreement paves the way for Thai producers to send other pest-free fruits, such as coconuts, to the U.S. market. In return, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said that Thailand would allow irradiated U.S. agriculture commodities such as citrus past its borders, once the agreement is finalized.

"At this time, we have no official requests from U.S. industry expressing interest in shipping irradiated U.S. commodities to Thailand," said Melissa O'Dell, spokesperson for the Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service. The only commodity discussed was citrus. However, if other businesses express interest, USDA would initiate discussions to have them included, she said.

The new accord marks the first time a foreign country has been approved to ship irradiated fruits into the United States under a 2002 USDA regulation, which set up guidelines for accepting foreign-grown irradiated agriculture commodities. In recent years, irradiation treatment has become the most promising, single-treatment quarantine alternative to methyl bromide, said APHIS. The regulation allows the use of irradiation to control fruit flies in imported fruits and vegetables.

Thai fruit exporters view the deal as beneficial since it would boost exports to the lucrative U.S. market. Press reports quoted Thai officials as saying that they fully expected to begin the exporting of fruit to the United States in September.

However, USDA must first publish the work plan as a proposed rule and allow time for comment before the deal is finalized. At that point, Ms. O'Dell said that U.S. producers would get a chance to voice their opinions about the latest development.

While Thailand is the first country to reach an agreement with the United States, Ms. O'Dell said that USDA officials are in similar discussions with Mexican agriculture leaders to ship irradiated produce.

NEW DELHI (AP) - Americans will soon get their first taste in nearly two decades of India's beloved mangoes. On a day when U.S. President George W. Bush and Indian Prime Minster managed to cut a landmark civilian nuclear pact and agree on a sweeping agenda for economic and scientific cooperation, Indian and U.S. officials also found time for the sweet fruit eaten by hundreds of millions of people in India and elsewhere.

The U.S. banned mango imports from India 17 years ago over concerns that Indian farmers used too many pesticides. Now, Indian farmers will instead irradiate the fruit to kill any pests, making the mangoes fit for consumption in the eyes of U.S. agriculture officials. Mangoes from India, one of the world's largest producers, are already available in many parts of Asia, the Middle East and Europe and have a loyal following at home and abroad. The fruit should hit market shelves in America in about 18 months. "The United States is looking forward to eating Indian mangoes," Bush told reporters.

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NEW DELHI: Americans may be able to savour irradiated Indian mangoes next summer under a Framework Equivalence Plan signed as part of the Indo-US Knowledge Initiative on Agriculture Education, Research, Services and Commercial Linkages. In a reference on Thursday, U.S. President George Bush said at his joint press conference with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh: "I look forward to eating Indian mangoes with the opening up of markets and [the] liberalisation of trade." The U.S. authorities have agreed to consider lifting sanitary and phytosanitary ban on its import.

The framework outlines the fundamental requirements to allow bilateral trade of commodities treated by irradiation as phytosanitary measure. "With this, the regulatory process for export of irradiated mangoes from India to the U.S. may be initiated and hopefully completed in about a year," said a fact sheet.

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Besides nuclear diplomacy, Bush also succeeded at mango diplomacy. The sweet, juicy staple of Indian chutneys and dessert tables was a feature of the joint agreement between the two countries. Bush said the United States would reopen its market to Indian mangoes, banned 17 years ago over concerns about pesticide use.

"The United States is looking forward to eating Indian mangoes," Bush said as both leaders stood side-by-side before the media in a garden at Hyderabad House.

Now, Indian farmers will instead irradiate the fruit to kill any pests, making them fit for consumption in the eyes of U.S. agricultural officials. The fruit should again be available in U.S. markets in about 18 months. Bush followed through on his promise perhaps sooner than he thought. On the luncheon menu were fresh mangoes, served with crËme br°lÈe.

ABSTRACT
Minimally processed vegetables are in demand, because they offer convenience to consumers. However, these products are often unsafe because of possible contamination with pathogens, such as Salmonella, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Shigella species. Therefore, this study was carried out to optimize the radiation dose necessary to ensure the safety of precut carrot and cucumber. Decimal reduction doses (D-values) of Salmonella Typhimurium MTCC 98 were ca. 0.164 kGy in carrot samples and 0.178 kGy in cucumber samples. D-values of Listeria monocytogenes were determined to be 0.312 and 0.345 kGy in carrot and cucumber samples, respectively. Studies of inoculated, packaged, minimally processed carrot and cucumber samples showed that treatment with a 1-kGy dose of gamma radiation eliminated up to 4 log CFU/g of Salmonella Typhimurium and 3 log CFU/g of L. monocytogenes. However, treatment with a 2-kGy dose was necessary to eliminate these pathogens by 5 log CFU/g. Storage studies showed that both Salmonella Typhimurium and L. monocytogenes were able to grow at 10C in inoculated control samples. Neither of these pathogens could be recovered from radiation-processed samples after storage for up to 8 days. V. S. Dhokane et al; http://www.foodprotection.org/QuickLinks.htm

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ABSTRACT
The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC), E. coli O157, Salmonella, and Listeria monocytogenes in retail food samples from Seattle, Wash. A total of 2,050 samples of ground beef (1,750 samples), mushrooms (100 samples), and sprouts (200 samples) were collected over a 12-month period and analyzed for the presence of these pathogens. PCR assays, followed by culture confirmation were used to determine the presence or absence of each organism. Of the 1,750 ground beef samples analyzed, 61 (3.5%) were positive for EHEC, and 20 (1.1%) of these were positive for E. coli O157. Salmonella was present in 67 (3.8%) of the 1,750 ground beef samples. Of 512 ground beef samples analyzed, 18 (3.5%) were positive for L. monocytogenes. EHEC was found in 12 (6.0%) of the 200 sprout samples, and 3 (1.5%) of these yielded E. coli O157. Of the 200 total sprout samples, 14 (7.0%) were positive for Salmonella and none were positive for L. monocytogenes. Among the 100 mushroom samples, 4 (4.0%) were positive for EHEC but none of these 4 samples were positive for E. coli O157. Salmonella was detected in 5 (5.0%) of the mushroom samples, and L. monocytogenes was found in 1 (1.0%) of the samples. http://www.foodprotection.org/QuickLinks.htm

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The European Union (EU) is the largest global trade bloc in food with more than 40% of global trade within and with other EU member nations.  One would assume that food traded within and with the EU closely follows all provisions of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), the standard establishing body to ensure the safety and fair trade of food, recognized by the World Trade Organization (WTO) to settle international food trade disputes.  At this time when the EU together with other western countries are spreading democratic principles to ensure that all countries follow international norms (treaties, standards, agreements), is it possible that the EU has dissassociated itself from an international standard in food trade?  Can the EU be the exception to a global standard?

In 1983, the CAC adopted a Codex General Standard for Irradiated Foods that recognizes irradiation as a food process up to an overall average dose of 10 kGy (applicable to most uses of food irradiation) to ensure the safety and quality of food in trade.  The standard puts no limit on the type of food or purpose of treatment.  In 2003, the CAC amended the Codex Standard by allowing any food to be treated by irradiation with any dose above 10 kGy under Good Manufacturing Practices.

Most countries have opted for regulating irradiated food based on specific approvals of individual food items as if irradiation were a food additive.  The EU as the largest trade bloc has among the most outdated and the most restrictive regulations on food irradiation.  There are two EU Directives on food irradiation issued in1999, that govern sale, labeling and importation of irradiated food, and the types of food that may be irradiated and trade freely among all EU member countries.  Unfortunately, the only group of food products that can be legally treated by irradiation for marketing in all EU countries is dried spices, herbs and vegetable seasonings.  The EU thus deviates itself significantly from the Codex General Standard for Irradiated Foods (a global standard). 

The record shows that several governments of EU member countries resisted the advance of Codex General Standard for Irradiated Foods from the beginning, based more on political, ideologies than scientific ground.  However, based on strong scientific evidence, the CAC decided to ignore the intervention of these EU countries by adopting the Codex General Standard for Irradiated Foods in 1983 and amended it to allow food to be irradiated with dose above 10 kGy, whenever there is a need, in 2003.

Historically, the EU through its European Commission (EC) has also resisted expanding the list of food approved for irradiation despite the recommendation of its own Scientific Committee for Foods (the forerunner of European Food Safety Authority) to the contrary.  As a compromise, the EU decided to approve only one group of food products (as mentioned above) in 1999.  Prior to that time, some members of the EU (Belgium, France, Italy, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom) had already approved a number of irradiated foods including shrimp, frog legs, chicken, potatoes, onions, etc. in their national legislations.  The EU Directives on Food Irradiation of 1999 allowed these countries to continue the production and sale of their national approved products until such time that the EU achieved a common approved list of irradiated foods. The EU Directives of 1999 also required that the EC MUST propose an expanded common list of irradiated food commodities (Positive List) for production and sale in all EU countries (15 countries were members of the EU at that time) for approval under the EU procedures before the end of December 2000. 

Unfortunately, the EU failed to achieve the consensus required to finalize the expanded common list of food to be processed by irradiation for marketing in all EU countries at the end of 2000.  Thus, only one group of irradiated food products (spices, herbs and vegetable seasonings) is allowed to be marketed in all EU member countries.  With several different types of irradiated products approved nationally before 1999, which are still allowed to be produced and markets in respective EU countries even now, the regulation on food irradiation in the EU remains largely unharmonized and is quite confusing.  In principle, it means that irradiated frog legs can be exported to France but the same product is banned in Austria, Germany, Luxembourg, etc.  The same would be true for irradiated fruits and vegetables that can be exported to the UK but not allowed in other EU countries, etc. With the current number of member states of the EU increased to 25 and likely to be even more in the near future, the chance for the EU to expand its list of approved irradiated foods beyond spices, herbs and vegetable seasonings, or even to approve irradiation as a food process regardless of types of foods, any time soon appears to be extremely remote.

The effectiveness of irradiation to ensure microbiological safety of several types of food products has been clearly demonstrated in practice.  The United States (U.S.) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) postulated that if irradiation is used routinely for treating only half of meat products in the USA, it could prevent almost one million cases of foodborne illnesses (caused by major foodborne pathogenic microorganisms such as Salmonella, Toxoplasma gondii, Listeria monocytogenes, E. coli 0157:H7), 8,500 cases of hospitalization, 6,600 cases of major illnesses resulting from microbial infections and 404 deaths per annum in the United States (R. Tauxe, 2001). 

In the U.S. the CDC reported in 2004 that a number of foodborne illnesses caused by E. coli 0157:H7 decreased significantly due to increasingly strict regulatory requirements and uses of new technologies.  The increasing widespread use of irradiation of ground beef in the U.S. since early 2000 had contributed significantly to the reduction of foodborne illness caused by this pathogen. (The record shows that over 10,000 metric tons of irradiated ground beef with clear labeling were sold in supermarkets (and other retail outlets) all over the U.S. in 2003.)  In fact, no illness or death caused by E. coli 0157:H7 was reported from consumption of irradiated ground beef after such a product was offered for sale starting mid-2000. 

In the EU, there were several foodborne disease outbreaks caused by E. coli 0157:H7 and other pathogens including Salmonella, Campylobacter jejuni, Listeria monocytogenes, etc. in the past decade.  According to MeatNews 11 Feb. 2006, there were 192,703 reported cases of salmonellosis, 183,961 of campylobacteriosis, and 1,267 of listeriosis during 2004 in the 25 EU member states, and the incidences of these diseases were 42.2, 46.7 and 0.3 cases, respectively, per 100,000 population.  The last major outbreak of E. coli 0157:H7 in the EU occurred in Wales late last year when 170 persons, mainly school children, were affected by this pathogen and one boy died.  Currently in EU neighboring country Norway, 7 school children were infected by E. coli 0157:H7 from consumption of ground beef last month and 6 have been hospitalized with haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS).  Irradiation could reduce significantly the number of foodborne illnesses and even deaths if it is allowed to be used on many food commodities in the EU and other European countries.

The outdated EU regulation of food irradiation has prevented this safe and effective technology to be used to combat foodborne illnesses of its populations.  By denying the wider use of food irradiation, the EU in effect has denied the right not only of its citizens to a safe food but also of its trading partners to use this safe and effective technology to enhance safety of food for trading with the EU.   With the EU celebrates 20^th anniversary of its "Single Market Act” this year, has the time not come for the EU to overhaul its regulations on food irradiation to be in harmony with an international standard to avoid being a trade barrier in safe food?

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Chances are, according to this story, higher than they were just a few years ago that the chicken you buy will be contaminated with the bacteria salmonella. But the government hasn't been doing much about the situation. It lacks the authority.
Critics of government policy say there is a link between the lack of government action and the 80 percent increase in the number of chickens contaminated with salmonella since 2000. Richard Raymond, the Undersecretary of Agriculture for food safety, will testify before Congress today on annual administration appropriations. He expects to be asked about the agency's proposed new initiative to reduce salmonella in chicken.

Last year, the government was cited as saying that 16.3 percent of all chickens were contaminated with salmonella. The story says that the level of salmonella in chickens was as high as 20 percent in the 1990's, and dropped to 9.1 percent in 2000.
Senator Tom Harkin, Democrat of Iowa and ranking minority member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, was quoted as saying in a statement that, "It really doesn't have good enforcement procedures and doesn't have any clear standards for judging whether a company's plan is adequate or not."

He has repeatedly introduced legislation that would give the Agriculture Department added authority over contaminated meat and poultry, including the ability to require a recall. But the agency has said it does not need additional power, and Senator Harkin's five attempts have not passed.

Richard Lobb, spokesman for the National Chicken Council, the industry trade association, was quoted as saying, "Levels have been on an upward trend and we certainly share U.S.D.A.'s concern. The chicken companies are now implementing different programs which we believe will bring the prevalence level down."

Dr. J. Glenn Morris Jr., chairman of the department of epidemiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and former official in the Agriculture Department's Food Safety and Inspection Service, was cited as saying the increase in chicken salmonella levels is no surprise, adding, "There is no motivation to bring the levels down. The agency has not moved forward to ratchet down acceptable levels of salmonella."

Caroline Smith DeWaal, director of food safety for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer group that often is at odds with the government and the food industry, was cited as saying the new department initiative does not address the real questions, adding, "That idea comes from having no power. What they need to do is change the law to allow them to close plants that violate salmonella standards. Without changing the law U.S.D.A. is stuck with court decisions that say you can produce as much chicken as you want with salmonella."

Dr. Morris of the University of Maryland, was quoted as saying "the public needs to be aware that current federal regulations do not guarantee there are no salmonella on raw products. It continues to be buyer beware." http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/08/dining/08well.html

Irradiated Foods Booklet Provides Science-based Information on Food Irradiation: The American Council on Science & Health booklet on irradiated foods can be downloaded from: http://www.acsh.org/publications/booklets/irradiated2003.html .

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"The Use of Irradiation for Food Quality and Safety" is the title of an updated "Information Statement" that was released on February 14 by the United Kingdom Institute of Food Science and Technology, " ... the independent professional qualifying body for food scientists and technologists ..." - The Summary of the Information Statement states: " ... Irradiation, carried out under conditions of Good Manufacturing Practice, is commended as an effective, widely applicable food processing method judged to be safe on extensive available evidence, that can reduce the risk of food poisoning, control food spoilage and extend the shelf-life of foods without detriment to health and with minimal effect on nutritional or sensory quality. This view has been endorsed by international bodies such as the World Health Organisation, the Food and Agricultural Organisation and Codex Alimentarius. To date, more than 50 countries have given approval for over 60 products to be irradiated. The USA, South Africa, the Netherlands, Thailand and France are among the leaders in adopting the technology. Currently regulations on food irradiation in the European Union are not fully harmonised. Directive 1999/2/EC establishes a framework for controlling irradiated foods, their labelling and importation, while Directive 1999/3 establishes an initial positive list of foods which may be irradiated and traded freely between Member States. However, this initial positive list has only one food category c dried aromatic herbs, spices and vegetable seasonings. Some countries, such as Belgium, France, The Netherlands and the UK allow other foods to be irradiated, whereas other countries, such as Denmark, Germany and Luxembourg remain opposed. Within the UK seven categories of foods are cleared for irradiation to specified doses. Regulations across the world make provision for labelling to ensure that consumers are fully informed whether foods or ingredients within them have been irradiated. Food irradiation is slowly gaining consumer acceptance in the US and several other countries but it is slow to gain support within many parts of Europe, including the UK, where the Food Standards Agency (FSA) recommends no extension of application. Many consumers are initially hostile to irradiation but when the process is explained to them they become generally more in favour. There is a role for respected professional bodies to inform consumers of the advantages and limitations of the technology so that they can make informed decisions on buying and eating irradiated foods ..." - The summary is posted at http://www.ifst.org/irradsum.pdf and the full text (19 pages) at http://www.ifst.org/irrad.pdf - Information about IFST is posted at http://www.ifst.org/  or http://www.ifst.org/irradsum.pdf
 

Information Statement From Institute of Food Science & Technology
 

The Use of Irradiation for Food Quality and Safety

The Institute of Food Science and Technology, through its Public Affairs and Technical and Legislative Committees, has authorised the following Information Statement, dated February 2006, replacing that of 11 December 1998.

The following is a summary. The full text may be accessed at www.ifst.org/hottop11.htm

SUMMARY
Irradiation, carried out under conditions of Good Manufacturing Practice, is commended as an effective, widely applicable food processing method judged to be safe on extensive available evidence, that can reduce the risk of food poisoning, control food spoilage and extend the shelf-life of foods without detriment to health and with minimal effect on nutritional or sensory quality. This view has been endorsed by international bodies such as the World Health Organisation, the Food and Agricultural Organisation and Codex Alimentarius.

To date, more than 50 countries have given approval for over 60 products to be irradiated. The USA, South Africa, The Netherlands, Thailand and France are among the leaders in adopting the technology. Currently regulations on food irradiation in the European Union are not fully harmonised. Directive 1999/2/EC establishes a framework for controlling irradiated foods, their labelling and importation, while Directive 1999/3 establishes an initial positive list of foods which may be irradiated and traded freely between Member States. However, this initial positive list has only one food category c dried aromatic herbs, spices and vegetable seasonings. Some countries, such as Belgium, France, The Netherlands and the UK allow other foods to be irradiated, whereas other countries, such as Denmark, Germany and Luxembourg remain opposed. Within the UK seven categories of foods are cleared for irradiation to specified doses.

Regulations across the world make provision for labelling to ensure that consumers are fully informed whether foods or ingredients within them have been irradiated.

Food irradiation is slowly gaining consumer acceptance in the US and several other countries but it is slow to gain support within many parts of Europe, including the UK, where the Food Standards Agency (FSA) recommends no extension of application. Many consumers are initially hostile to irradiation but when the process is explained to them they become generally more in favour. There is a role for respected professional bodies to inform consumers of the advantages and limitations of the technology so that they can make informed decisions on buying and eating irradiated foods.

The full text of the 19 page Information Statement is posted at  http://www.ifst.org/irrad.pdf