Written question asked by Norman Baker (Liberal Democrat) on Monday, 10 March 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 18 March 2003. It was answered by Hazel Blears (Labour) on Tuesday, 18 March 2003 on behalf of the Department of Health.
Dept of Health
- Question
- To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what tests are available to establish whether foodstuffs have been subject to irradiation; how many such checks were carried out in the last year for which figures are available; and what percentage of those checks identified that illegal irradiation had occurred.
- Answer
-
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what tests are available to establish whether foodstuffs have been subject to irradiation; how many such checks were carried out in the last year for which figures are available; and what percentage of those checks identified that illegal irradiation had occurred. [102670] Ms Blears: There are nine tests that have been standardised by European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) of these thermoluminescence and photostimulated luminescence techniques are the most useful. More specific tests include analysis for alkyl cyclobutanones and electron spin resonance analysis. The nine standardised detection tests for irradiated foods are: EN 1784:1996: Detection of irradiated food containing fat-- Gas chromatographic analysis of hydrocarbons. EN 1785:1996: Detection of irradiated food containing fat-- Gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric analysis of 2- alkylcyclobutanones EN 1786:1996: Detection of irradiated food containing bone-- Method by ESR spectroscopy EN 1787:2000: Detection of irradiated food containing cellulose by ESR spectroscopy EN 1788:2001: Detection of irradiated food from which silicate minerals can be isolated--Method by thermoluminescence EN 13708:2001: Detection of irradiated food containing crystalline sugar by ESR spectroscopy EN 13783:2001: Detection of irradiated food using Direct Epifluorescent Filter Technique/Aerobic Plate Count (DEFT/ APC)--Screening method EN 13784:2001: DNA comet assay for the detection of irradiated foodstuffs--Screening method EN 13751:2002: Detection of irradiated food using photostimulated luminescence. In June 2002, the Food Standards Agency published the results of a survey for irradiated foods. A total of 543 food samples were analysed. Of these, 58 were found to be illegal irradiated products and six were irradiated but not labelled as such.
Secondary information
- Type
- Written question
- Reference
- 102670; 401 c663-4W
- Session
- 2002-03
- Subjects
- Food Safety Testing Irradiation
- Link
- View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk
Librarians' tools
- Timestamp
- 2016-10-06 10:42:35 +0100
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