Implications of Food Irradiation for Food Safety

Despite public unease, certain irradiated foods will be legally on sale in the UK in 1990. The irradiation process is outlined and its applications described. At present 36 countries have legalised the process and more than 40 different foods are treated. Although the process has as yet no detection method, all products so treated will be identified. The main initial application in the UK will probably be spices and herbs, whose decontamination is currently problematic.