Foods and food ingredients treated with ionising radiation. Framework Directive

In accordance with Directive 1999/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, the Commission presented a report on foods and food ingredients treated with ionizing radiation. It covers the period 1 January to 31 December 2015.

The report is based on the checks carried out in the irradiation units the results of which the Member States send to the Commission each year.

Irradiation units: by 2015, there were 26 irradiation units approved in the European Union, located in 14 Member States (France, Germany, Spain, Bulgaria, Netherlands, Poland, Belgium, Czech Republic, Estonia, Croatia (new unit), Italy, Hungary, Romania and the United Kingdom. No approved radiation unit has been closed.

Treatment data: a total of 5 686 tonnes of products (+ 9.7% compared with 2014) were processed by ionization in the EU Member States, 80% of them in 2 Member States, mainly Belgium 68.9%) and the Netherlands (11.1%). The two main products subject to ionization in the EU were frogs' legs (54.75%) and dried herbs, spices and vegetable condiments (16.10%).

Controls at the marketing stage: 5 973 samples were analysed by 24 Member States in 2015, an increase of 3.4% compared with 2014. Among the products analysed in the European Union in 2015, the two main categories are "herbs and spices" (45.6%) and "cereals, seeds, vegetables, fruits and their products"(21%). Germany has carried out the most inspections.

The checks carried out by Member States in 2015 show that virtually all the products checked were in compliance with EU legislation. The two main reasons for non-conformity of the samples analysed were the same as in previous years, namely incorrect labelling and ionisation treatment in irradiation units not approved by the Union.