CONSUMER AWARENESS OF FOOD IRRADIATION Available to Purchase

Irradiation has been proposed for the preservation of food since the early 1930's and is now a regular practice in at least 28 countries as diverse as Japan, Chile and the Netherlands. In this country, despite the interest from many academics and the food industry, acceptance by the general public and government is developing only very slowly. At present the irradiation of food in Britain is reserved for the treating of food for some hospitalised transplant patients. However, the Government's Advisory Committee on the Irradiation of Food in 1986 cleared food irradiation as a ‘safe’ process, and as a result it is possible that some irradiated foods may be sold commercially in the near future.