Directive 1999/2/EC – general - approximating EU countries' laws;

Directive 1999/3/EC - implementing - EU list of irradiated food and food ingredients;

EU countries must use validated or standardised analytical methods to detect irradiated foods.

Foods & food ingredients authorised for irradiation in the EU

Currently, these are:

• Fruit and vegetables including root vegetables;
• Cereals, cereal flakes, rice flour;
• Spices, condiments;
• Fish, shellfish;
• Fresh meats, poultry, frog legs;
• Raw milk camembert;
• Gum arabic, casein/caseinates, egg white;
• Blood products.

National authorisations for certain products are valid until the EU list is published later this year.