Irradiation

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Irradiation a Postharvest Alternative for
Domestic/Export Market Access
Glenn Robertson Steritech General Manager
Queensland October 2012
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Steritech services

• Steritech is the leading sterilisation company in
  the Asia-Pacific region and has provided services
  to businesses and government for more than 30
  years.
• Steritech helps a variety of industries make
  their products safer, manage pests and meet
  regulatory requirements, including
• Medical equipment
• Pharmaceutical goods and cosmetics
• Agricultural products (e.g. animal feed and
  grain)
• Packaging (e.g. milk powder bags, wine casks,
  corks, etc.)
• Beehives (eliminates larvae that cause AFB
  EFB).
• Archives (elimination of mould)
• Quarantine (e.g. goods seized by customs)
• Herbs, spices and herbal teas
• Food Irradiation for Phytosanitary/Market Access
  requirements.

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What is food irradiation?

• Exposure of food items to a source of ionising
  energy i.e. gamma rays or X-rays
• These gamma or X-rays eliminate bacteria, pests
  and other pathogens.
• Food irradiation approved for use in more than 60
  countries estimated one million tonnes of food
  irradiated annually.
• Recognised by international agencies (e.g. Codex,
  International Plant Protection Commission, World
  Health Organisation, etc).
• Codex Alimentarius Standard for Irradiated Food
  Any food irradiated up to an overall average
  dose of 10 kGy is safe and wholesome.

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A safe and chemical free process

• Irradiation is broad-spectrum, rapid, post
  harvest treatment that at low levels kills or
  sterilises insects (e.g. Queensland fruit fly)
  without the use of chemicals.
• Scientific consensus after more than 50 years of
  research is irradiation produces food that is
  safe to eat irradiating fruit and vegetables
  does not and cannot make them radioactive.
• Irradiation does not apply hot or cold
  temperatures, humidity or pressure to the fruit
  and vegetables and can be applied to product in
  its final packaging.
• Consumer response is varied there is minimal
  understanding and many misconceptions are
  propagated by activists but ultimately consumers
  have consistently proven they will purchase
  irradiated food when given the opportunity and
  balanced information.

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Is Irradiated Food Safe to Eat?

• YES
• There is overwhelmingly evidence that irradiated
  food is toxicologically safe, and presents no
  significant nutritional or microbiological
  issues.
• Approximately 63 countries have approved at least
  one use of food irradiation.
• Codex Alimentarius issued a General Standard for
  Irradiated Food (1983, revised 2003).
• Any food irradiated up to an overall average dose
  of 10 kGy is safe and wholesome.
• Note phytosanitary use has a maximum dose of 1
  kGy

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International Approvals - Health

• 23 countries have approved irradiation up to 1
  kGy for all fruit and vegetables
• 12 countries have approved irradiation up to 1
  kGy for specified fruits and vegetables
• 28 countries have approved irradiation as a
  disinfestation treatment
• 7 other approvals are for delay of ripening or
  maturation control

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An Agreed Protocol for Irradiation as a
Phytosanitary Treatment?

• The effectiveness of irradiation as a
  phytosanitary treatment is well established
• There are international guidelines and standards
  on the treatment
• These standards are based on a minimum dose to
  the insect that guarantees that any insect that
  does not die within a short time after treatment
  will be sterile or unable to develop into an
  adult capable of reproducing.

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Irradiated Imports into US (tons)
Country Fruit 2008 2009 2010
India Mango 275 130 195
Thailand Longan (mainly) 1700 1890 1800
Vietnam Dragonfruit 0 100 850
Mexico Guava 257 3521 9121
Grapefruit 0 67 101
Mango 0 0 239
Sweet Lime 0 0 600
Manzano Pepper 0 0 257
Total 2232 5708 13,163
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A ready made solution for the horticultural
industry

• Irradiation one tool in the toolbox for
  managing pests and managing biosecurity/market
  access requirements.
• Regulatory status
• 9 tropical fruits approved for irradiation by
  FSANZ
• New Zealand market access secured
• ICA-55 is currently in place
• Industry research underway for other select
  fruits and vegetables

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Current and Future FSANZ Approved Commodities for Irradiation Current and Future FSANZ Approved Commodities for Irradiation Current and Future FSANZ Approved Commodities for Irradiation
FSANZ Approved Commodities Current Qld Govt and Industry Projects Future Qld Govt and Industry Projects
Mango Tomato Berries (rasp, blue black)
Lychee Capsicum Mushrooms
Papaya (Paw paw) Cherries Eggplant
Bread Fruit Zucchini Passionfruit
Rambutan Nectarine
Custard Apple Rock Melon
Mangosteen Honeydew  
Longan Table Grapes  
Peach
Plum
Carambola Apricot  
 Persimmon (still pending Approval) Strawberry  
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New Zealand Market Access

• Growing volumes of irradiated tropical fruit
  being sold in New Zealand mangoes and lychee
  (first shipment 2004).
• Market previously closed due to New Zealand
  biosecurity fruit fly restrictions.
• In the 2009 2010 season, more than 1,000 tonnes
  of mangoes 25 of total Australian mango
  exports.
• Irradiated mangoes sold in mainstream retail
  channels supermarkets (e.g. progressive/
  Woolworths), specialist stores, etc.
• New Zealand operates under the same food safety
  and labelling system as Australia.

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Export Market Access (New Zealand)Irradiation
and the supply chain
2 hours treatment time
Growing and Harvesting
Packing and Cooling
Treated at Steritech Narangba QLD
Exported to New Zealand via Sea or Air Freight
NZ MAF Plant Health Inspection
Export Delegate AQIS Plant Health Inspections
1 hour required for inspections
NZ Wholesale
NZ Retail
Steritech has accredited Export Delegates and is
authorised to perform onsite Plant Health
Inspections
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Irradiated Imports into NZ (tonnes)
Season 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12
Mango 19 129 201 346 585 1,095 620 1262
Papaya - - 12 1 - - -
Lychee - 5 10 20 57 110 15 48
TOTAL 19 134 223 367 642 1205 635 1310
Season 2010-11 was adversely affected by severe
weather conditions which dramatically reduced
crop volumes
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DOMESTIC APPROVAL ICA-55

• Interstate Certification Assurance National
  Protocol (ICA-55)
• A protocol for the use of irradiation as a
  phytosanitary treatment for fresh fruits and
  vegetables within Australia
• ICA-55 applies to any fresh produce approved for
  irradiation by Food Standards Australia New
  Zealand (FSANZ)

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DOMESTIC APPROVAL ICA-55

• ICA-55 sets minimum doses that guarantee the
  sterility of insect species for quarantine
  purposes irrespective of the host produce.
• 150 Gy for fruit flies of the family Tephriditae.
• 300 Gy for mango seed weevil.
• 400 Gy for all other pests of the class Insecta,
  except pupae and adults of the order Lepidoptera
• 1 Gy 1 Gray 1 Joule of energy absorbed per kg
  food.
• 1 kGy 1000 Gy

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Domestic Market Access (ICA-55) Irradiation and
the supply chain
Growing and Harvesting
Packing and Cooling
Treated at Steritech Narangba QLD
2 hours treatment time
Transport to Vic, SA, WA or Tas
Wholesale
Retail
Irradiation can fit in with the horticulture
supply chain and maintain integrity of the cool
chain.
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Inter-state Trade in Australia

• ICA-55 provides a protocol for irradiation to be
  used to meet quarantine requirements for fresh
  produce crossing state and territory boundaries
• Preliminary trials have been carried out in late
  2011 sending irradiated Queensland mangoes to
  Melbourne and Tasmania.
• The irradiated fruit was sold successfully at 5
  retail outlets in Melbourne and several shops in
  Hobart, including Salamanca markets.

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Irradiation Advantages

• It is rapid (approximately 1 hour treatment,
  total turnaround about 2 hours).
• Treated produce can be released into trade
  immediately.
• It is simple, depending only on conveyer speed
  and source power to set the dose. It is
  insensitive to temperature, humidity, pressure,
  etc.
• It is cost competitive with other alternatives to
  insecticide treatments.

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Irradiation Advantages

• It is a broad spectrum treatment (all insects,
  all host produce).
• It is free of toxic chemical residues.
• It is a cold treatment (no heating means fruit
  can be more mature at harvest and often results
  in better fruit quality and shelf-life).
• It is penetrating (treatment in the final
  package sterilizes insects throughout the fruit
  fruit size and shape are unimportant).

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Labeling Requirements

• FSANZ Standard 1.5.3 requires that irradiated
  foods be labeled in order to ensure consumers
  retain their right-to-choose
• Foods that are chemically treated do not have to
  be labeled
• However, labeling of irradiated foods has
  disarmed much of the criticism of the process.

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Point of Sale
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Conclusions

• Irradiation is a practical, efficient and
  effective phytosanitary treatment of fresh fruit
  and vegetables.
• Presently large volumes of irradiated fruits are
  imported annually into New Zealand and the USA.
• Experience has shown that consumer resistance is
  overestimated. Irradiated fruit has sold well at
  retail for several years.
• Labelling requirements, consumer concerns about
  chemical residues, and the likely use of
  accelerator-sources of radiation have all reduced
  the controversy previously associated with
  irradiation, and increased its consumer
  acceptance.

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Conclusions

• Trade in irradiated fresh produce has grown
  steadily and appears set to continue to expand.
• 28 countries have approved irradiation of fresh
  fruits and vegetables for disinfestation purposes
  and at least 8 countries are involved in trade.
• Irradiation offers the prospect of decreasing
  reliance on toxic insecticide and fumigation
  treatments.

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Next steps

• Steritech would like to work with growers,
  industry and HAL, to raise awareness about
  irradiation as a long-term alternative to post
  harvest chemical treatments and address any
  supply chain issues.
• Steritech has Council approval to expand the
  Narangba site
• We have approval to build more cold storage.
• We are progressing with plans to install an X-ray
  machine (would improve capacity from 72,000
  tonnes of fruit and veg per annum to gt200,000
  tonnes).
• Working with Qld Government and industry
  participants on expanding list of approved
  commodities
• Tomatoes and capsicums application has been
  lodged with FSANZ and expected approval date is
  March/April 2013.
• Further research is underway for 12 other
  commodities (including Berries).

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• THANK YOU
• Contact Details
• Glenn Robertson
• General Manager Queensland
• grobertson_at_steritech.com.au
• Bill Hatton
• Horticulture Business Development
• whatton_at_steritech.com.au