Food Irradiation in China Hao Chen Sichuan Institute of Atomic Energy, China
Outline Current facilities for food irradiation in China Commercial application of food irradiation in China Development of regulations and policies for food irradiation in China Current situation of food irradiation in Chinese market Suggestions and prospect
Current facilities for food irradiation in China China began its research about food irradiation in 1958 More than 200 60 Co irradiators and 6 EB accelerators have been built for commercial application in China in 2009 Over 100 irradiators designed capacities more than 300,000Ci Over 44 irradiators designed capacities more than 1,000,000Ci
Over 80 facilities irradiate food across China
Growth of EB accelerators for food irradiation Easily on/off High efficiency No handling of radioactive material Do not require replenishment of the source
Commercial application of food irradiation in China Applications of food irradiation in China Decontamination of spices Disinfestation of grains and beans Disinfestation of dry fruits Decontamination of raw meat Decontamination of fishery products Decontamination of cooked meat Sprout inhibitation
Quantities of food irradiated in China
Estimated values of food and irradiated food outputs
China accounts for half of all food irradiated in the world 2005
Commercial application of food irradiation in China Fermented spicy chicken feet, wings and dried tofu are typically Chinese delicacy Irradiated to prolong the shelf-life and maintain the quality Total in 2012: over 400,000 tons
Development of regulations and policies for food irradiation in China 1984 1994: 18 irradiated food hygiene standards published 1996: Measures for the administration of irradiation food published December 2001: Irradiation process standards for 17 kinds of foods 2006: 3 industry-specific standards published 1 verified and approved by the Ministry of Agriculture
Development of regulations and policies for food irradiation in China National standards for hygiene of irradiated food Food Dose (kgy) National standard Product Poultry, Livestock, cooked 8 max GB 14891.1-1997 Pork, Beef, Chicken, Duck Pollen 8 max GB 14891.2-1994 Corn, Buckwheat, Sorghum, Sesame, Rape, Sunflower, Astragalus (pure, mixed) Peanut kernel, Longan, Hollow lotus, Walnut, Raw Dried Nuts, Preserved 0.4-1 GB 14891.3-1997 almonds, Red dates, fruits Preserved fruit, peach, apricot, hawthorn, and others Spices, dried 10 max GB 14891.4-1997 All spices Fruits, Vegetables, fresh 1.5 max GB 14891.5-1997 17 Categories, tomatoes, onions, potatoes, apples, and others. Pork 0.65 max GB 14891.6-1997 Pork, fresh Poultry, Livestock, frozen Pork, Beef, Chicken, Duck, 2.5 max GB 14891.7-1997 & packaged pre-packaged Beans and products 0.2 max Beans and products GB 14891.8-1997 Cereals and products 0.4-0.6 Cereals and products Sweetpotato wine 4 max GB 14891.9-1997 Sweetpotato wine
Development of regulations and policies for food irradiation in China Irradiation process standards of food irradiation National standards Products GB/T 18524-2001 General requirements for food irradiation GB/T 18525.1-2001 Beans GB/T 18525.2-2001 Cereal GB/T 18525.3-2001 Jujube GB/T 18525.4-2001 Wolfberry and raisin GB/T 18525.5-2001 Dry black mushroom (Lentinus edodes) GB/T 18525.6-2001 Dry longan GB/T 18525.7-2001 Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) Griseb GB/T 18526.1-2001 Soluble instant tea powder GB/T 18526.2-2001 Pollen GB/T 18526.3-2001 Dehydrated vegetables GB/T 18526.4-2001 Spices and seasonings GB/T 18526.5-2001 Livestock and poultry meat GB/T 18526.6-2001 Pickled meat GB/T 18526.7-2001 Chilled packaged pork cuts GB/T 18527.1-2001 Apple GB/T 18527.2-2001 Garlic
Issues with food irradiation in China Demand for irradiation of food rapisdly increasing but : National standards and regulations not always complied with, e.g. reirradiation Illegal competitions for business purposes Unsoundness of some polices and regulations Relatively few types of irradiated food Relatively low level of public acceptance
Suggestions and prospect Suggestions: Establish or revise national standards to avoid barriers, illegal competitions and to facilitate the applications of food irradiation in China
Suggestions and prospect Some activities by government: Standards being revised to harmonise 8 standards into one hygienic standard Ministry of Public Health approved a project to test samples of food to detect if they were irradiated or not, and organized workshops on detection of irradiated foods on May 15, 2010.
Suggestions and prospect Suggestions: Build bigger Co-60 facilities over 4 million Ci Shorten the irradiation time and make it possible to treat frozen foods, ect Accelerate the implementation of high energy EB accelerators in food irradiation in China Perform researches on quality assurance and new food products which is suitable for EB irradiation Increase public acceptance of irradiated food
Suggestions and prospect Prospect: Potential application of irradiation in China Ready to eat foods Ready to cook foods Emergence foods Military foods Space foods Patient foods Functional foods