Explanatory Memorandum to COM(2012)16 - Food and food ingredients treated with ionising radiation for the year 2009 - Main contents
Please note
This page contains a limited version of this dossier in the EU Monitor.
| dossier | COM(2012)16 - Food and food ingredients treated with ionising radiation for the year 2009. |
|---|---|
| source | COM(2012)16  |
| date | 26-01-2012 |
REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL ON FOOD AND FOOD INGREDIENTS TREATED WITH IONISING RADIATION FOR THE YEAR 2009 /* COM/2012/0016 final */
Contents
- REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL
- 1. Legal basis and background
- and
- Article 7(4) of the Directive requires the Commission to publish in the Official Journal of the European Union
- 1.1. Irradiation facilities
- 1.2. Irradiated food and food ingredients
- 2. Results of checks carried out in irradiation facilities
- 2.1. Belgium
- 2.2. Bulgaria
- 2.3. Czech Republic
- 2.4. Germany
- 2.5. Spain
- Total|
- 2.6. France
- 2.7. Hungary
- 2.8. Italy
- 2.9. The Netherlands
- 2.10. Poland
- 2.11. Romania
- 2.12. The United Kingdom
- 2.13. Other Member States
- 2.14. Summarising table for the EU
- 3. Results of checks carried out at the product marketing stage and the methods used to detect irradiated foods
- 3.1. Austria
- Total|
- 3.2. Belgium
- 3.3. Bulgaria
- Total|
- 3.4. Cyprus
- Total|
- 3.5. Czech Republic
- Total|
- 3.6. Germany
- 3.7. Denmark
- 3.8. Estonia
- Total|
- 3.9. Greece
- Total|
- 3.10. Spain
- Total|
- 3.11. Finland
- Total|
- 3.12. France
- Total|
- 3.13. Hungary
- Total|
- 3.14. Ireland
- Total|
- 3.15. Italy
- Total|
- 3.16. Latvia
- Total|
- 3.17. Lithuania
- Total|
- 3.18. Luxembourg
- 3.19. Malta
- Total|
- 3.20. The Netherlands
- Total|
- 3.21. Poland
- Total|
- 3.22. Portugal
- 3.23. Romania
- Total|
- 3.24. Sweden
- Total|
- 3.25. Slovak Republic
- Total|
- 3.26. Slovenia
- Total|
- 3.27. United Kingdom
- Total|
- 3.28. Summary for the EU
- 4. Summary
ON FOOD AND FOOD INGREDIENTS TREATED WITH IONISING RADIATION FOR THE YEAR 2009
Article 7(3) of Directive 1999/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 February 1999 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States concerning foods and food ingredients treated with ionising radiation[1], requires Member States to forward to the Commission every year:
– the results of checks carried out in irradiation facilities, in particular regarding the categories and quantities of food and food ingredients treated and the doses administered
– the results of checks carried out at the product marketing stage and the methods used to detect treatment with ionising radiation.
Article 7(4) of the Directive requires the Commission to publish in the Official Journal of the European Union
– the details of the approved irradiation facilities in the Member States as well as any changes in their status;
– a report on the information provided by the national supervisory authorities.
The current report covers the period from 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2009. It contains a compilation of the information forwarded to the Commission by the 27 Member States.
Information on general aspects of food irradiation is available on the website of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Health and Consumer[2].
According to Article 3(2) of Directive 1999/2/EC, food and food ingredients may be irradiated only in approved irradiation facilities. For facilities in the EU, approval is given by the competent authorities of the Member States. Article 7(1) requires Member States to inform the Commission on their approved irradiation facilities.
Irradiation of food and food ingredients may only be carried out by means of the following sources:
– Gamma rays from radionuclides 60Co or 137Cs;
– X-rays generated from machine sources operated at or below a nominal energy (maximum quantum energy) level of 5 MeV;
– Electrons generated from machine sources operated at or below a nominal energy (maximum quantum energy) level of 10 MeV.
The list of approved irradiation facilities in the Member States has been published by the Commission[3] .
The irradiation of dried aromatic herbs, spices and vegetable seasonings is authorised at EU level by Directive 1999/3/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 February 1999 on the establishment of a Community list of food and food ingredients treated with ionising radiation[4]. In addition, 7 Member States have notified that they maintain national authorisations for certain food and food ingredients in accordance with Article 4(4) of Directive 1999/2/EC. The list of national authorisations has been published by the Commission[5].
Any irradiated foodstuff containing one or more irradiated food ingredient must be labelled with the words “irradiated” or “treated with ionising radiation”. If an irradiated product is used as an ingredient in a compound food, the same words shall accompany its designation in the list of ingredients. In the case of products sold in bulk, these words shall appear together with the name of the product on a display or notice above or beside the container in which the products are placed.
To enforce correct labelling or to detect non-authorised products, several analytical methods have been standardised by the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN), following a mandate given by the European Commission.
This section of the report deals with the results of the checks carried out in irradiation facilities, in particular regarding the categories and quantities of products treated and the doses administered. According to the information submitted by the Member States, the controls carried out by the competent authorities confirmed the compliance of the approved irradiation facilities with the requirements of Directive 1999/2/EC.
The following tables show the categories and quantities of products irradiated in approved facilities in the EU Member States in 2009.
There is one approved facility.
Category of products| Treated quantity (t)| Average absorbed dose (kGy)
Frog legs| 2.| 5
Poultry| 5
Fish and shellfish| 3-5
Herbs and spices| 6-9
Dehydrated blood| 6-9
Vegetables| 9,| 6
Starch| 3
Total| 2.816,|
There is one approved facility.
Category of products| Treated quantity (t)| Average absorbed dose (kGy)
Dried aromatic herbs| 0,| 10
Total| 0,|
There are two facilities approved in the Czech Republic. One of them[6] closed on 30 March 2009.
Category of products| Treated quantity (t)| Average absorbed dose (kGy)
Dried aromatic herbs, spices and vegetable seasoning| 48,| 4-10
Total| 48,|
There are four facilities approved. No food was irradiated in one facility.
Category of products| Treated quantity (t)| Average absorbed dose (kGy)
Dried aromatic herbs, spices and vegetable seasoning| 95,| <10
Total| 95,|
There are two facilities approved. During 2009, food and food ingredients were irradiated in only one of these facilities.
Category of products| Treated quantity (t)| Average absorbed dose (kGy)
Dried aromatic herbs, spices and vegetable seasonings| <10
There are five facilities approved.
Category of products| Treated quantity (t)| Average absorbed dose (kGy)
Poultry| 656,| 5
Gum Arabic| 78,| 3
Herbs, spices and dried vegetables| 1,| 10
Frozen frog legs| 461,| 5
Total| 1198,|
There is one facility approved.
Category of products| Treated quantity (t)| Average absorbed dose (kGy)
Herbs and spices| 221,| 6
Dehydrated products| 6
Total| 228,|
There is one facility approved. No food was irradiated in 2009.
There are two facilities approved.
Category of products| Treated quantity (t)| Average absorbed dose (kGy)
Frog parts| 270,| 4
Poultry| 145,| 4.3-5
Frozen shrimps| 56,| 3
Herbs and spices| 387,| 6.8
Dehydrated vegetables| 666,| 2-4
Egg white| 65,| 1
Food samples| 1,| 6.6-9.6
Total| 1593,|
There are two approved facilities.
Category of products| Treated quantity (t)| Average absorbed dose (kGy)
Dry spices, dried flavoured herbs, vegetable & root spices| 195,| 5-10
Total| 195,|
There is one approved facility. No food was irradiated in 2009.
There is one approved facility. No food was irradiated in 2009.
There are no approved facilities in the other Member States (Austria, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta, Portugal, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia)
The following table summarises the quantities of foodstuffs (in tonnes) treated by ionising radiation in approved irradiation facilities within the European Union in 2009.
Category of products| BE| BG| CZ| DE| ES| FR| HU| NL| PL| Total| %
Dehydrated blood| 0,27
Dehydrated products| 666,| 673,| 10,15
Egg white| 65,| 65,| 0,99
Fish & Shellfish| 56,| 112,| 1,69
Food Samples| 1,| 1,| 0,03
Frog legs / parts| 461,| 270,| 2840,| 42,80
Gum arabic| 78,| 78,| 1,19
Herbs, Spices| 0,| 48,| 95,| 1,| 221,| 387,| 195,| 1578,| 23,78
Poultry| 656,| 145,| 1234,| 18,59
Starch| 0,36
Vegetables| 9,| 9,| 0,15
Total| 2816,| 0,| 48,| 95,| 1198,| 228,| 1593,| 195,| 6637,| 100
% of total| 42,| 0,| 0,| 1,| 6,| 18,| 3,| 24,| 2,|
3. Results of checks carried out at the product marketing stage and the methods used to detect irradiated foods
Regarding the results of the checks carried out at the product marketing stage and the methods used to detect treatment with ionising radiation, the Member States submitted the following information.
Food analysed| Number of samples: CEN method used
Compliant| Inconclusive| Non-compliant
Herbs and spices| EN 1788, EN 13751
Herbal teas| EN 1788, EN 13751
Poultry meat| EN 1786
Total in % of analysed samples| 100 %| 0,00 %| 0,00 %|
Food analysed| Number of samples: CEN method used
Compliant| Inconclusive| Non-compliant
Instant noodles| EN 1788
Crustaceans and molluscs| 0
Frozen herbs| 0
Food supplements| 1
Dried vegetables| 0
Dried fruit| 0
Ready-to-eat dish| 0
Meat| 0
Total| 1
Total in % of analysed samples| 99,32 %| 0,00 %| 0,67 %|
Food analysed| Number of samples: CEN method used
Compliant| Inconclusive| Non-compliant
Dried spices| EN 1787, EN 1788
Mixed spices| EN 1787, EN 1788
Dried vegetable seasoning| EN 13708
Red Pepper| EN 1787, EN 1788
Tea| EN 1787, EN 1788
Rice| EN 1787, EN 1788
Dried fruits| EN 1787, EN 1788
Muesli with died fruits and nuts| EN 1786
Spaghetti| EN 1787
Dried soup with vegetables| EN 1786, EN 1785
Nuts| EN 1786
Meat| EN 1787, EN 13708
Fish| EN 1787, EN 1788
Shrimps| EN 1787, EN 1788
Total in % of analysed samples| 91,50 %| 0 %| 8,50 %|
Food analysed| Number of samples: CEN method used
Compliant| Inconclusive| Non-compliant
Dried vegetables, herbs and spices| ΕΝ 13751
Total in % of analysed samples| 100,00 %| 0 %| 0 %|
Food analysed| Number of samples: CEN method used
Compliant| Inconclusive| Non-compliant
Fresh fruits| EN 1788, EN 1785
Fish and shellfish| EN 1785
Herbal tea products| EN 1788
Spices| EN 1788
Dietary supplements| 2*| EN 1788
Instant noodle soups| 5**| EN 1788, EN 1785
Poultry| EN 1785
Frog legs| EN 1785
Pine nuts| EN 1788, EN 1785
Total in % of analysed samples| 81,54 %| 7,69 %| 10,77 %|
* one sample dried pressed herbs
** one sample irradiated noodles, four samples irradiated spice mixture
Food analysed| Number of samples: 3.| CEN method used
Compliant| Inconclusive| Non-compliant
Dairy products| EN 1787
Cheese, cheese preparations with herbs and spices| EN 1787, EN 1788
Cheese, cheese preparations without herbs and spices| EN 1788, EN 1784, ASU§64 LFGB, L00.00-39
Butter with herbs| EN 1788, EN 1787,
Eggs and egg products| EN 1784
Meat (except poultry and game)| EN 1784, EN 1786,
Poultry| EN 1784, EN 1786, EN 1789
Meat products (except saussages)| EN 1786, EN 1784
Sausage products| EN 1788, EN 1786, EN 1784
Fish and fish products| EN 1786, EN 1788
Crustaceans, shellfish, mussels and other aquatic animals including their products| EN 1788, EN 1786, EN 1787, EN 13751, ASU§64 LFGB,L12.01-1, ESR, L00.00-43
Soups, sauces, including instant soups and meals| EN 1787, EN 1788, EN 13751, L00.00-43
Cereals and ceral products| EN 1787, EN 1788, EN 13751
Pulses, oil seeds, nuts| EN 1787, EN 1788, EN 13751
Potatoes, parts of starch-rich plants| EN 1788, EN 1787, EN 13751
Fresh vegetables| EN 1788, EN 1787, EN 13751
Dried vegetables| EN 1788, EN 1787, EN 13751
Fresh mushrooms| EN 1788, L00.00-43, EN 13751
Dried mushrooms or mushrooms products| EN 1788, L00.00-43, EN 13751, EN 1787
Fresh fruit| EN 1788, EN 1787, EN 13751, EN 1385
Dried fruit and fruit products| EN 1787, EN 1788,
Coffee| EN 1788
Tea, tea-like products| EN 1788, L00.00-43, EN 13751, EN 1787
Prepared meals and dishes| EN 1788, EN 1787, EN 1786, EN 13751, L 00.00-43
Food supplements| EN 1788, EN 1787, EN 13751
Seasonings and condiments| EN 1788, L00.00-43, EN 13751, EN 1787
Dried herbs and spices| EN 1788, EN 1787, EN 13751
Others| EN 1788, EN 1787, EN 1786, EN 13751
Total| 3.|
Total in % of analysed samples| 98,96%| 0,47%| 0,57%|
No checks were carried out at the marketing stage 2009.
Food analysed| Number of samples: CEN method used
Compliant| Inconclusive| Non-compliant
Dried herbs and spices| EN 13751
Total in % of analysed samples| 100,00 %| 0 %| 0 %|
Food analysed| Number of samples: CEN method used
Compliant| Inconclusive| Non-compliant
Herbs and spices| EN 13751 (PPSL)
Dried vegetables| EN 13751 (PPSL)
Total in % of analysed samples| 100,00 %| 0 %| 0 %|
Food analysed| Number of samples: CEN method used
Compliant| Inconclusive| Non-compliant
Herbs and spices| EN 1787, EN 1788
Dried fruits| EN 13708
Meat| EN 1786
Infusions| EN 1787
Nuts| EN 1787
Fish| EN 1786
Total in % of analysed samples| 98,8 %| 0 %| 1,2 %|
Food analysed| Number of samples: CEN method used
Compliant| Inconclusive| Non-compliant
Dried spices and herbs| EN 13751, EN 1788
Food supplements| EN 13751, EN 1788
Berries| EN 13751, EN 1788
Total in % of analysed samples| 94,60 %| 0 %| 5,40 %|
Food analysed| Number of samples: CEN method used
Compliant| Inconclusive| Non-compliant
Spices| EN 1784, EN 1788
Frozen crustaceans or molluscs| EN 1784, EN 1788
Dehydrated soups and sauces| EN 1784, EN 1788
Food supplements| EN 1784, EN 1788
Poultry| EN 1784, EN 1788
Dehydrated instant preparations (Asian noodles)| EN 1784, EN 1788
Plants for food supplements| EN 1784, EN 1788
Frog legs| EN 1784, EN 1788
Total in % of analysed samples| 92,50%| 5,00%| 2,50%|
Food analysed| Number of samples: CEN method used
Compliant| Inconclusive| Non-compliant
Spices| EN 1788
Tea| EN 1788
Total in % of analysed samples| 100,00 %| 0 %| 0 %|
Food analysed| Number of samples: CEN method used
Compliant| Inconclusive| Non-compliant
Dried herbs| EN 13751 (screening), EN 1788 (confirmation)
PARNUTS*| 0
Fruit and vegetables| 0
Herbal supplements| 0
Vitamins and supplements| 0
Teas and coffee| 2
Herbs and spices| 1
Seasonings /stocks| 1
Seeds| 0
Rice and rice flour| 0
Prawns and fried snacks| 0
Soup| 0
Others| 0
Total in % of analysed samples| 98,6 %| 0 %| 1,4 %|
* PARNUTS: Food for particular nutritional purposes.
Food analysed| Number of samples: CEN method used
Compliant| Inconclusive| Non-compliant
Meat| EN 13784
Fish products| EN 13784
Meat products| EN 13784
Poultry| EN 1786
Dried herbs and spices| EN 13783, EN13751, EN 1788
Seasoning (vegetable)| EN 13783, EN 1788
Garlic| EN 13784, EN13751
Onions| EN 13784, EN13751, EN 13783
Shallots| EN 13783, EN 1788
Lime| EN 13751
Potatoes| EN 13784, EN13751, EN 13783
Total in % of analysed samples| 94,17 %| 3,58 %| 2,24 %|
Food analysed| Number of samples: CEN method used
Compliant| Inconclusive| Non-compliant
Food supplements| EN 1788
Herbs and spices| 0
Muesli| 0
Popcorn| 0
Tea| 0
Dried apricots| 0
Total in % of analysed samples| 73,33 %| 0 %| 26,66 %|
Food analysed| Number of samples: CEN method used
Compliant| Inconclusive| Non-compliant
Dried aromatic herbs, tea, spices, food supplements| EN 13783
Total in % of analysed samples| 100,00 %| 0 %| 0 %|
No checks were carried out at the marketing stage 2009.
Food analysed| Number of samples: CEN method used
Compliant| Inconclusive| Non-compliant
Herbs and spices| EN 13751
Total in % of analysed samples| 100,00 %| 0 %| 0 %|
Food analysed| Number of samples: CEN method used
Compliant| Inconclusive| Non-compliant
Food supplements| EN 13751, EN 1788
Vitamin preparations| EN 13751, EN 1788
Special (herb) mixtures| EN 13751, EN 1788
Cereal products| EN 13751, EN 1788
Dried vegetables and vegetable products| EN 13751, EN 1788
Dried fruit and fruit products| EN 13751, EN 1788
Nuts and seeds| EN 13751, EN 1788
Fish and fish products| EN 13751, EN 1788
Salads, pasta and soup| EN 13751, EN 1788
Spices/flavours| EN 13751, EN 1788
Meat and meat products| EN 13751, EN 1788
Total in % of analysed samples| 95,00%| 0 %| 5,00%|
Food analysed| Number of samples: CEN method used
Compliant| Inconclusive| Non-compliant
Dried herbs and spices| EN 13751, EN 1788
Nuts| EN 1787
Vegetables (including pulses)| EN 1788
Fruits| EN 13708
Fish and sea food| EN 1786
Fowl| EN 1786
Teas| EN 13751, EN 1788
Ripened cheeses, cottage cheeses, other cheeses containing spices/herbs| EN 1788
Concentrated sauces and soups| EN 1788
Total in % of analysed samples| 98,60 %| 00,00 %| 1,40 %|
No checks were carried out at the marketing stage 2009.
Food analysed| Number of samples: CEN method used
Compliant| Inconclusive| Non-compliant
Dried spices and herbs| EN 1787, EN 1788, EN 13751
Food supplements| EN 1787, EN 1788
Instant noodles| EN 1787
Teas| EN 1787, EN 1788, EN 13751
Total in % of analysed samples| 95,95 %| 00,00 %| 4,05 %|
Food analysed| Number of samples: CEN method used
Compliant| Inconclusive| Non-compliant
Poulty meat| EN 1784
Total in % of analysed samples| 100,00 %| 00,00 %| 00,00 %|
Food analysed| Number of samples: CEN method used
Compliant| Inconclusive| Non-compliant
Nuts| EN 1784
Cheese| EN 1784
Schwartzwald ham| EN 1784
Dried aromatic herbs, spices and vegetable seasoning| EN 1788
Dried poultry salami| EN 1784
Poppy seed| EN 1784
Chicken broth| EN 1784
Total in % of analysed samples| 100,00 %| 00,00 %| 00,00 %|
Food analysed| Number of samples: CEN method used
Compliant| Inconclusive| Non-compliant
Spices| EN 13751, EN 1788
Food supplements| EN 13751, EN 1788
Tea| EN 13751
Seeds and rice| EN 13751, EN 1788
Poultry meat| EN 1786
Prepared foods (instant soups, noodles)| EN 13751, EN 1788
Total in % of analysed samples| 73,33 %| 26,66 %| 00,00 %|
Food analysed| Number of samples: CEN method used
Compliant| Inconclusive| Non-compliant
Dried herbs, spices and vegetable seasonings| EN13751, EN 1788
Fresh and preserved (other than dried) herbs and spices| EN13751, EN 1788
Noodles and dehydrated Asian meals| EN13751, EN 1788
Vegetables| EN13751, EN 1788
Fruit (including fresh and dried)| EN13751, EN 1788
Pasta products| EN13751, EN 1788
Yeast products| EN13751, EN 1788
Teas| EN13751, EN 1788
Dried Fish and seafood| EN13751, EN 1788
Food supplements| EN13751, EN 1788
Honey and other bee products| EN13751, EN 1788
Miscellaneous| EN13751, EN 1788
Frog legs| EN 1786
Total in % of analysed samples| 84,00 %| 13,00 %| 3,00 %|
The following table summarises the samples analysed and the results obtained for the EU as a whole:
Member State| Compliant Samples| Inconclusive| Non compliant samples| total samples| % versus EU Total samples
AT| 2,11%
BE| 2,36%
BG| 2,63%
CY| 0,13%
CZ| 1,04%
DE| 50,58%
DK| NAC| NAC| NAC| NAC| NAC
EE| 0,08%
EL| 0,65%
ES| 1,37%
FI| 3,58%
FR| 1,90%
HU| 0,18%
IE| 4,69%
IT| 3,56%
LV| 0,24%
LT| 0,26%
LU| NAC| NAC| NAC| NAC| NAC
MT| 0,51%
NL| 12,31%
PL| 3,43%
PT| NAC| NAC| NAC| NAC| NAC
RO| 1,18%
SE| 0,10%
SK| 0,65%
SI| 0,96%
UK| 5,51%
Total EU| 100,00%
in %| 96,49%| 1,48%| 2,03%| 100,00%|
||||
|| NAC:| No analytical checks were performed in 2009.|
The current report covers the period from 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2009. It contains a compilation of the information forwarded to the Commission by the 27 Member States.
In 2009, 20 approved irradiation facilities were operational in 12 Member States in accordance with Article 7(2) of Directive 1999/2/EC. One approved irradiation facility has been closed. Five irradiation facilities did not irradiate any food during 2009.
A total quantity of 6.637,17 tonnes of products were treated with ionising irradiation in the Member States, 84,5% of which were irradiated in three Member States (Belgium, France and the Netherlands). The four biggest fractions within the irradiated categories are frog parts, herbs and spices, poultry and dehydrated products (respectively: 42,80%, 23,78%, 18,59%, 10,15%).
27 Member States submitted information regarding the checks carried out at the product marketing stage. Three Member States did not perform any analytical checks in official control and inspection.
A total of 6.265 samples have been taken by 24 Member States. Three Member States accounted for 68,4% of the samples (Germany 50,58%, The Netherlands 12,31%, United Kingdom 5,51%). 6.045 samples (96,49%) were compliant with the provisions of the Directives. 127 samples (2,03%) were non compliant. Reasons for non compliance are most often related to incorrect labelling and irradiation of categories for which this is not authorised. 93 samples (1,48%) gave inconclusive results. Reasons for inconclusive results are most often related to non-confirmation after positive results from screening tests and/or to the difficulty to determine which of the ingredients were irradiated in composite foodstuffs, even if they are labelled.
[1] OJ L 66, 13.3.1999, p. 16.
[2] ec.europa.eu/food/food/biosafety/irradiation
[3] OJ C 77, 11.3.2011, p. 14.
[4] OJ L 66, 13.3.1999, p. 24.
[5] OJ C 283, 24.11.2009, p. 5.
[6] Artim s.r.o., Radiová 1, Prague.