News & Events

Food irradiation is used around the world and the widely held scientific consensus after more than fifty years of research is that when carried out within specified standards irradiation produces food that is safe to eat. With consumer concerns about chemicals in the food supply chain, new regulatory restrictions on some insecticides and recent food safety emergencies related to bacteria, there is growing interest in the benefits of chemical-free alternatives for treating food, such as irradiation. In Australia and New Zealand irradiation can currently be used to sterilise herbs and spices, certain herbal teas, and some tropical fruits including mangoes, lychees and papayas.