IAEA evaluates impact of food safety program

A review has provided evidence that participation in a regional program contributed to changes in policies and the uptake of food irradiation.

The report evaluates the impacts of food safety programs from 2020 to 2024 in the Asia Pacific region. Projects focused on food irradiation and nuclear techniques for food origin authentication. Irradiation kills bacteria and pathogens but does not make food radioactive.

Programs were supported under the Regional Cooperative Agreement for Research, Development and Training Related to Nuclear Science and Technology for Asia and the Pacific (RCA). The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) help countries develop and apply nuclear techniques to improve food safety and control systems.

Impact assessment
Evidence comes from an online survey of 19 parties, IAEA data, expert analysis, five case studies and a cost-benefit assessment between 1999 and 2023. Eighteen replied to the food irradiation survey, and 14 to the food authentication survey.

Seven respondents identified improvement in consumers’ acceptance of food irradiation and/or food authentication, 12 said that only consumer awareness had improved, and four said there was no increase in awareness or acceptance.

For food origin authenticity, the main negative impact is the significant initial investment to establish the technical infrastructure.

An impact assessment found that the program supported nations to enhance local expertise through training between 93 and 259 personnel in each aspect of food irradiation and between 10 and 63 people in food origin authentication.

Food irradiation training ranged from sanitary and phytosanitary treatment to microbiological safety.

The program also helped establish infrastructure for food analysis, irradiation and authentication through the creation of 128 facilities focused on these techniques and realized economic benefits by reducing the costs of foodborne illness and food waste.

Country examples
China, India, Korea, Thailand and Vietnam have more than five facilities, but not all irradiate food commercially. Data up to the end of 2023 shows China irradiates the most food on an annual basis at more than 1 million tons, followed by Vietnam and India both at more than 100,000 tons and Australia with 10,000 tons.

Thailand uses irradiation technology on products for domestic consumption and export. It is used a lot on naem, a fermented pork product, to eliminate potential microorganisms and extend shelf life by delaying the development of acidity.

Irradiating food products has enhanced Thailand’s competitiveness in international markets by meeting the food safety standards of certain fresh products, particularly in export destinations such as Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.

Myanmar irradiates eight food types while Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam all irradiate seven. The top irradiated foods were herbs, spices, vegetables and fresh fruit.

Malaysia utilizes nuclear techniques to verify the authenticity and origin of a range of high-value food items, including halal products. In Japan, development was driven by the growing issue of food adulteration and mislabeling, particularly in products such as rice, honey, beef and eel.

“The social cost-benefit analysis estimated that the program likely created more economic value than it consumed between 1999 and 2022,” said the report.

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Source: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2025/09/iaea-evaluates-impact-of-food-safety-program/