Brief introduction of irradiated food and how the labelling process is done.It also introduce organic product with labels.It also include FSSAI regulation for these both product.

1. LABELLING OF
IRRADIATED OR
ORGANIC
PRODUCT
BY
HANU PRATAP

2. Food Irradiation: What You Need to Know
– Irradiation does not make foods radioactive, compromise nutritional quality, or
noticeably change the taste, texture, or appearance of food. In fact, any changes
made by irradiation are so minimal that it is not easy to tell if a food has been
irradiated.
– Food irradiation is a technology that improves the safety and extends the shelf life
of foods by reducing or eliminating microorganisms and insects. Like pasteurizing
milk and canning fruits and vegetables, irradiation can make food safer for the
consumer.
– The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for regulating the sources of
radiation that are used to irradiate food. The FDA approves a source of radiation for
use on foods only after it has determined that irradiating the food is safe.

3. Why Irradiate Food?
Irradiation can serve many purposes.
– Prevention of Foodborne Illness – to effectively eliminate organisms that cause foodborne illness,
such as Salmonella and Escherichia coli (E. coli).
– Preservation – to destroy or inactivate organisms that cause spoilage and decomposition and extend
the shelf life of foods.
– Control of Insects – to destroy insects in or on tropical fruits imported into the United States.
Irradiation also decreases the need for other pest-control practices that may harm the fruit.
– Delay of Sprouting and Ripening – to inhibit sprouting (e.g., potatoes) and delay ripening of fruit to
increase longevity.
– Sterilization – irradiation can be used to sterilize foods, which can then be stored for years without
refrigeration. Sterilized foods are useful in hospitals for patients with severely impaired immune
systems, such as patients with AIDS or undergoing chemotherapy. Foods that are sterilized by
irradiation are exposed to substantially higher levels of treatment than those approved for general
use.

4. How Is Food Irradiated?
– There are three sources of radiation approved for use on foods.
– Gamma rays are emitted from radioactive forms of the element cobalt (Cobalt
60) or of the element cesium (Cesium 137). Gamma radiation is used routinely
to sterilize medical, dental, and household products and is also used for the
radiation treatment of cancer.
– X-rays are produced by reflecting a high-energy stream of electrons off a target
substance (usually one of the heavy metals) into food. X-rays are also widely
used in medicine and industry to produce images of internal structures.
– Electron beam (or e-beam) is similar to X-rays and is a stream of high-energy
electrons propelled from an electron accelerator into food.

5. Is Irradiated Food Safe to Eat?
– The FDA has evaluated the safety of irradiated food for more than 30 years and has found the
process to be safe. The World Health Organization (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have also endorsed the safety of
irradiated food.
– The FDA has approved a variety of foods for irradiation in the United States including:
– Beef and Pork
– Crustaceans (e.g., lobster, shrimp, and crab)
– Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
– Lettuce and Spinach
– Poultry
– Seeds for Sprouting (e.g., for alfalfa sprouts)
– Shell Eggs
– Shellfish - Molluscan
(e.g., oysters, clams, mussels, and scallops)
– Spices and Seasonings

6. How Will I Know if My Food Has
Been Irradiated?
– The FDA requires that irradiated foods bear the international symbol for irradiation.
– Look for the Radura symbol along with the statement “Treated with radiation” or
“Treated by irradiation” on the food label. Bulk foods, such as fruits and vegetables,
are required to be individually labeled or to have a label next to the sale container.
– The FDA does not require that individual ingredients in multi-ingredient foods (e.g.,
spices) be labeled. It is important to remember that irradiation is not a replacement
for proper food handling practices by producers, processors, and consumers.
Irradiated foods need to be stored, handled, and cooked in the same way as non-
irradiated foods, because they could still become contaminated with disease-
causing organisms after irradiation if the rules of basic food safety are not followed.

8. What Is Organic Food ?
– Organically grown produce cannot be grown with the use of chemically based
fertilizers or synthetic pesticides. It does not necessarily mean
that no pesticides were used, but any pesticides would have to be regulated and
non-synthetic. It is also not allowed to be genetically modified, and has not
been irradiated.
– Technically, the food you grow in your own home vegetable garden could be
considered organic if you don’t use synthetic pesticides and you stick with
natural fertilizers. However, you couldn’t claim your garden food as officially
organic unless you earn approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

9. Organic Foods and Health
– While the organic label on food means that it was grown according to regulations, there is still rampant debate
about the health implications of organic growing. A 2014 study in the British Journal of Nutrition presents a
compelling case for organic food, and is often cited in debates on the issue. The study is based on a meta-analysis
of 343 peer-reviewed studies on organic foods, and found that organic foods may be more nutritious and safer
than non-organic foods.
– Antioxidants in Organic Food. The study found that concentrations of a range of antioxidants (such as
polyphenols) were substantially higher in organic crops. Antioxidants play a role in the reduction of risk for a
variety of chronic diseases, including certain cancers.
– Effects of Cadmium. The study also found that conventionally grown crops had four times the level of pesticide
residues compared with organic crops, and also had significantly higher concentrations of cadmium. According to
the Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry at the U.S. Centres for Disease Control, long-term oral
exposure to low levels of cadmium can result in kidney damage and bone fragility in humans, and has been linked
to anaemia, liver disease, nerve damage, and brain damage in animals.
– Pesticides and Pregnant Women. A study published in Environmental Health Perspectives from the U.S. National
Institutes of Health found that pregnant women who lived near farms that applied pesticides were more likely to
give birth to children with autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders and delays.
– Pesticides and Infants and Young Children. The National Pesticide Information Centre at Oregon State University
states, “Infants and children are more sensitive to the toxic effects of pesticides than adults.”

10. Cost Concerns
– Historically, organic food has cost significantly more than conventionally grown
food. However, a 2015 Consumer Reports analysis concluded that consumers
shouldn’t operate under the assumption that organic food always costs more –
out of 100 different foods found at four separate suppliers, organic options
were on average 47% more expensive than their conventionally grown
counterparts. The range was varied – for some items, consumers would pay
three times as much for the organic option, while with other foods the organic
option was the same price or cheaper than the conventional version.

11. When to Buy Organic food?
– Nutritionist Conner Middelmann Whitney concludes in Psychology Today that “if
you want to lower your cancer risk, you’re better off choosing organics. No matter
what the latest study says.”
– Given the potential health benefits of consuming organic foods, it might be
tempting to switch to an all-organic diet, but that’s often not realistic for those on
a tight personal budget.
– For example, you could only buy organic for fresh fruits, such as strawberries or
blueberries, or for items your child consumes regularly. Many organic advocates
may tell you that there’s no “gray area” when it comes to organic foods, but
prioritizing a few organic purchases is a great place to start if you’re trying to stick to
a budget.

12. Choosing Organic Produce Items
– The Dirty Dozen is an annual list published by the EWG. It highlights 12 fruits and
vegetables that received the worst scores on laboratory tests conducted by the
USDA Pesticide Testing Program and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
– The list changes every year due to weather and other elements that might threaten
crops in various locations and thus influence the frequency and intensity of pesticide
applications.
– The EWG ranks the fruits and vegetables in order, starting with the worst of the
worst. This ranking is based on several elements from the USDA and FDA analyses,
including percent of samples that had detectable pesticides, average number of
pesticides found in a sample, and average amount (in parts per million) of all
pesticides found.

13. Cont..
– As of 2015, the Dirty Dozen features the following produce items (in order) that the EWG says should definitely be
purchased organic:
– Apples
– Peaches
– Nectarines
– Strawberries
– Grapes
– Celery
– Spinach
– Sweet bell peppers
– Cucumbers
– Cherry tomatoes
– Snap peas (imported)
– Potatoes

14. Foods You Don’t Need to Buy
Organic
– If you prefer to buy organic, when can you feel most comfortable opting for conventional? In addition to the Dirty
Dozen, the EWG also releases a second annual list called the Clean Fifteen. The Clean Fifteen represents the items
that scored best based on the analysis of the USDA’s Pesticide Testing Program and the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration.
As of 2015, according to the EWG, if you’re going to go conventional, these are the foods to choose:
1. Avocados 9.Papayas
2. Sweet corn 10.Kiwis
3. Pineapples 11.Eggplant
4. Cabbage 12.Grapefruit
5. Sweet peas (frozen) 13.Cantaloupe
6. Onions 14.Cauliflower
7. Asparagus 15.Sweet potatoes
8. Mangoes
Of the 15 items on this list, 11 are typically peeled in some way during food preparation. In comparing this list to the
Dirty Dozen, it’s clear that the presence of an outer peel may influence how susceptible a food is to pesticides.

15. Types of product that can be
described as 'organic'
– UNPROCESSED PRODUCTS OF AGRICULTURAL ORIGIN - such as meat, fruit and
vegetables that have been produced in accordance with the criteria for organic
products
– PROCESSED PRODUCTS with ingredients sourced by hunting or fishing, where at
least 95% of the additional ingredients by raw weight are organic, and only
processing aids and other additional ingredients from a restricted list have been
used
– ORGANIC ingredients may be still be described as such if they have been used in
a product that has not been made of 100% organic products. This does not
mean the finished product can be described as organic

16. Labelling
– An addition to any labelling required under EU Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to
consumers, or any other product-specific regulations, the following will apply to organic food.
– All organic food must show the code number of the authorised control body or inspection body to which the operator is
subject, such as GB-ORG-2, GB-ORG-4, etc.
– All prepacked EU organic food must show the EU organic logo. Variations as to how this may be presented can be found in
Annex XI to EU Regulation (EC) No 889/2008 laying down detailed rules for the implementation of Regulation (EC) No
834/2007 on organic production and labelling of organic products with regard to organic production, labelling and control.
– Where the organic logo is shown, you must give a declaration of origin that can be seen on the packaging at the same time
as the logo. This declaration must be either 'EU agriculture', 'non-EU agriculture' or 'EU/non-EU agriculture' (for a mix of
EU and non-EU agricultural products).
– If all the ingredients are from one EU country, the EU/non-EU term can be replaced or supplemented by the name of the
country where all the materials of the product have been farmed. A maximum of 2% raw weight ingredients may be from a
different organic origin.
– Food imported from outside the EU may voluntarily use the EU organic logo, and must then comply with the other
labelling requirements above.
– The declaration of origin must not be more prominent than the sales description or name of the food.
– Where organic ingredients are used in a product that is not 95% organic overall, then the term 'organic' may only be used
in the ingredients list to describe the organic ingredient. You must also declare what percentage the organic ingredient
makes up out of all of the agriculturally sourced ingredients.

19. REFERENCE
– https://www.farmaid.org/food-labels-explained/
– https://www.businesscompanion.info/en/quick-guides/food-and-
drink/labellling-and-describing-organic-food
– https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/food-irradiation-what-
you-need-know

20. THANKYOU