Despite the FDA, USDA, and other regulatory agencies having long endorsed the safety of irradiated foods, we periodically hear about skepticism of these endorsements in the marketplace. With that in mind we’ve assembled a brief survey of studies and scientific papers examining the nature of food safety.
High-level International Studies Endorsing Radiation Safety
The WHO, EFSA, and CDC are other government bodies that have performed long-term research to examine the safety of irradiated foods for both animal and human consumption. Below are 3 major studies reviewing the safety of irradiated foods with relevant excerpts quoted (highlighting our own):
World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva, 1994
Publication: Safety and nutritional adequacy of irradiated food
Very large numbers of animal studies have been carried out over the past few decades, but no evidence has been found of adverse effects resulting from the consumption of irradiated food.
Where differences have been noted between control and test animals, no consistent patterns have been observed in type of abnormality, type of food, amount consumed, duration of study and radiation dose. Hundreds of studies covering all aspects of toxicology, including chronic and subchronic effects, reproduction, teratology, and mutagenesis, have been evaluated.
Despite some deficiencies in a number of the studies reviewed, the consistency with which the studies report the absence of adverse toxicological effects following consumption of irradiated food is remarkable.
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Parma, Italy, 2010
Publication: Scientific Opinion on the efficacy and microbiological safety of irradiation of food.
Potential microbiological risks linked to food irradiation are reviewed and the Opinion confirms that there are no microbiological risks for the consumer linked to the use of food irradiation and its consequences on the food microflora.
Robert V. Tauxe, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Publication: Food Safety and Irradiation: Protecting the Public from Foodborne Infections
The safety of consuming irradiated foods has been evaluated in large scale trials in animals, some of which lived for several generations (19). No ill effects were observed, and, in particular, no teratogenic effects were seen in mice, hamsters, rats or rabbits.
We are not aware of any peer-reviewed studies performed by the scientific community that do not wholly endorse the ability of the irradiation process, when implemented appropriately, to enhance food safety with no material drawbacks.
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