Irradiation of Meat Products
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, Speakers Series
February 6, 2015
Ruth M. Brinston, President
Biovive Consulting Inc.
Ottawa, Canada
+1 613 697-9589 [email protected]
www.biovive.ca
Where to begin?
… With what’s important!
•
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•
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•
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Effectiveness of ionizing radiation
Regulatory approval
Market demand for irradiated food
Canadian companies, technology leadership
Canadian scientists, applied research
Irradiated food as a choice
2015-03-06
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What is food irradiation?
• It is the process of exposing food to
controlled levels of ionizing radiation
• It is a cold process that kills bacteria, pests
or parasites and retain freshness
• It does not make the food radioactive
Source of ionizing radiation energy
– cobalt-60 isotope, or electron
beam machine, or higher energy
X-ray machine
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How effective is radiation as a
kill step for E.coli in Beef?
Very effective!
Store bought hamburgers were
inoculated with 106 CFU/ mL of E. coli
using a syringe and then irradiated.
Lethal dose, D10 values for E. coli
O157:H7 in hamburger varies from
0.17 kGy to 0.27 kGy.
E. Coli resistance varies with
temperature, oxygen, bacterial strain,
and composition of the hamburgers.
A dose of 0.8 kGy did not affect the
appearance, odour, flavour or texture
of the hamburgers.
Zero E.coli is possible!
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Is irradiated food
safe to eat? YES!
• Food irradiation is extensively
researched and thousands of
peer-reviewed studies
conducted over decades
• 1983 Codex Alimentarius
Commission, secretariat of the
Joint FAO/ WHO Food Standards
Programme concluded: that
foods irradiated up to 10 kGy
considered safe and wholesome
• 2003 Codex removed 10 kGy
limit and reaffirmed irradiated
foods as safe and wholesome
2015-03-06
“Irradiation has been proven
to be the single most effective
method of eradicating
bacteria and it does not alter
appearance, taste or texture
of foods”
2009 Weatherill report into contaminated delimeats from Maple Leaf Foods, Canada
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Astronauts enjoy eating irradiated steak…
• Low dose – up to 1
kGy to prevent
sprouting & insect
disinfestation
• Medium dose – 1 to
10 kGy to control
pathogens & extend
shelf life
• High dose – above 10
kGy to sterilize food
for shelf stability
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www.biovive.ca
Regulatory approvals in over 50 countries
Case-by-case approval for specific food and purpose
or
CODEX General Standard for Irradiated Food as the basis
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Health Canada: Approved food irradiation
Product
Dose
Purpose
Year
Potatoes, onions
0.15 kGy max
Inhibit sprouting
1960
Wheat, flour, whole wheat flour
0.75 kGy max
Insect control
1960
Spices, whole or ground and
dehydrates seasonings
preparations
10 kGy max
Microbial reduction
1983
Canada Gazette, Part 1 – proposed regulatory amendment, 23 November 2002
Product
Dose
Purpose
Ground Beef
Fresh
Frozen
1.5 kGy min, 4.5 kGy max
2.0 kGy min, 7.0 kGy max
Microbial
reduction
Poultry
Fresh
Frozen
1.5 kGy min, 3.0 kGy max
2.0 kGy min, 5.0 kGy max
Microbial
reduction
Shrimp & Prawns
Fresh, prepared, dried
Frozen
1.5 kGy min, 3.0 kGy max
1.5 kGy min, 5.0 kGy max
Microbial
reduction
0.25 kGy min, 1.5 kGy max
Insect control
Mangoes
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USA FDA’s: Approved foods
Product
Dose
Purpose
Year
Wheat flour
0.2-0.5 kGy max
Control of mold
1963
Potatoes, onions
.002 -0.15 kGy max
Inhibit sprouting
1964
Dry enzyme preps.
10 kGy max
Microbial reduction
1985
All foods (tropical fruits)
1 kGy max
Insect control
1986
Fresh Fruits & Vegetables
1 kGy max
Insect control
1986
Spices & Seasonings
30 kGy max
Microbial reduction
1986
Meat, packaged for NASA
44 kGy min
Sterilization
1995 (1989)
Seeds for sprouting
8 kGy max
Microbial reduction
2000
Shell eggs, fresh
3 kGy max
Microbial reduction
2000
Molluscan shellfish (oysters)
5.5 kGy max
Microbial reduction
2005
Lettuce & spinach, fresh
4 kGy max
Microbial reduction
2008
Poultry, fresh & frozen
4 kGy & 7 kGy
Microbial reduction
2012 (1990)
Meat products, fresh & frozen
4 kGy & 7 kGy
Microbial reduction
2012 (1997)
Crustaceans (shrimp & prawns)
6 kGy
Microbial reduction
2014
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Australia & New Zealand - FSANZ
Product
Dose
Purpose
Year
Herbs, spice
2 kGy min, 30 kGy max
Bacterial decontamination
2001
Herbal infusions
2 kGy min, 10 kGy max
Bacterial decontamination
2001
Fruits: Breadfruit,
carambola, custard apple,
litchi, longan, mango,
mangosteen, papaya &
rambutan
.15 kGy min, 1 kGy max
Pest control
2003
Persimmon
.15 kGy min, 1 kGy max
Pest control
2012
Tomatoes, capsicum (bell
peppers)
.15 kGy min, 1 kGy max
Pest control
2013
Pending approvals (Feb 2015): apple, apricot, cherry,
nectarine, peach, plum, honeydew, rock melon,
strawberry, table grape, zucchini & squash
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450
• Today, over 415,000
metric tons, marketed in
in twenty-six countries
• Spices and seasoning
traditional application
• Irradiation of fresh fruit
to control insects fastest
growth applications
• Canada processing
about 1,400 metric tons
of spices for domestic
market
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400
350
Metric Tons (‘000s)
Worldwide demand
for irradiated food
growing
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
1987 1992 1997 2002 2007 2012
Year
Other
Spices & seasoning
Fresh & frozen foods
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Twenty-five years ago 60,000 metric tons
of commercially irradiated food
Country
Est. Volume Irradiated
Food metric tons
Commodity
Netherlands
30,000
Spices & seasonings, frog legs, poultry,
shrimp, dried vegetables, egg white
France
15,000
Spices & seasonings, frozen frog legs &
shrimp, cheese, deboned chicken
Belgium
10,000
Spices & seasonings, frozen frog legs &
shrimp
Japan
4,000
Potatoes
Korea,
Republic of
500
Spices, potatoes, onions
Canada
500
Spices
TOTAL
60,000
USA
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<50
Spices, Astronaut food
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Today estimated 415,000 metric tons,
expanding global trade
Countries
China, USA, Brazil
Volume Irradiated
Food, metric tons
Commodity
> 25,000
Mexico, India, South
Africa, Vietnam
Between 25,000 and 5,000
Turkey, Thailand, Japan,
Belgium, Netherlands,
Argentina, R. Korea,
Indonesia, Australia,
Canada
Between 5,000 and 1,000
France, Malaysia,
Philippines, Germany,
Hungary, Spain, Poland,
Pakistan, Czecovacia
< 1,000
Spices & seasoning,,
fresh produce ( mangos,
guavas, grapes, papayas,
persimmons, litchis,
pineapples…..)
beef & poultry,
seafood including shrimp, &
oysters, frog legs
egg powder, potatoes, garlic,
honey and ready-to-eat meals
Irradiated food approved in over 50 countries, various national regulations
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Fermented, spicy irradiated chicken
feet and wings
• Rapidly growing in
popularity In China
• High microbial
contamination puts
consumers at risk, if
not treated
• Irradiation kills the
bacteria, extends the
shelf life maintaining
great taste (so I’m
told)
• Customers know
because labelled
irradiated
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Irradiated Fresh Produce
• Estimated 25,000 metric
tons labelled irradiated
produce now consumed in
the USA
• Australia to New Zealand –
1,205 metric tons of
mangos irradiated during
harvest season
2015-03-06
USDA APHIS Framework
Equivalency Work Plans:
• Philippines
• India
• Thailand
• Viet Nam
• Malaysia
• South Africa
• Mexico
• Pakistan
• Ghana
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Fresh oysters, irradiated safe and tested;
delivering high-quality, reef-fresh flavor
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Pride of Mississippi, available year round in the USA
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Where can I buy irradiated meat?
Canada: the missing policy
USA: Seek and find
November 30, 2012 the USA Food and Drug
Agency (FDA) amended its 1997 regulations
to expand the use of ionizing radiation for
fresh and frozen meat products.
Americans are eating about
18 million pounds (8,200
metric tons) of irradiated
Irradiation of beef is not approved.
beef per year.
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Health Canada agrees the science is sound,
technology is proven…. But regulatory
action is stuck in neutral.
Those savvy Americans!
$7.00
$6.00
$5.00
$4.00
$/Ib
$3.00
$2.00
$1.00
$0.00
Wegmans
80% Lean
Wegmans
90% Lean
Organic,
Grass Fed
Regular
$2.19
$2.99
$5.49
Irradiated
$3.79
$4.49
Regular
Omaha S85% lean
Schwans
$6.25
$4.65
Irradiated
Paying a $1.60 / lb. and
higher for a rarer, juicy
hamburger experience…
they know a safe choice!
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Source: Company websites, Jan 2013
Wegmans a savvy, proud retailer!
• Prominent labelling
• Unique packaging
• Cross -merchandise with
condiments, buns…
• Education
• Premium pricing
Safely cook your burger
to desired doneness!
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Canadian companies, world-class leaders &
technology exporters
Nordion, Ottawa
• Cobalt-60 & Irradiators
Mevex, Stittsville
• E-beam Machines
Konnexis,
Ottawa
Integrated
control
systems
for
irradiation
facilities
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Centre d'irradiation du Canada (CIC)
Celebrated 25th Anniversary 31 May 2012
INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier INRS Research Laboratories in Sciences is a unique
international center of excellence in food irradiation including access to smallscale sample testing systems and a full-scale irradiator on site which is owned
and operated by Nordion.
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Odds are everyone will suffer a food
borne illness during their lifetime…
1 in 100 will require
hospitalization...
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3% will die!
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How many consumers are willing to
accept “irradiated food” as a choice?
The Consumers' Association of Canada report on consumer attitudes towards
food irradiation and the state of food safety in Canada, April 2012.
Many studies on American consumer acceptance have similar results:
61% as strong or interested buyers, 24% unsure or doubters and 15% rejecters.
Wegmans: 69% of buyers of irradiated beef said they are likely to repeat the
purchase in the next 6 months. Sales track record. Information key to success!
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XL Foods – Fall 2012 Beef Crisis
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Future of food irradiation in Canada
Status Quo?
2015-03-06
Consumer choice?
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