Reading Scientific Services is adding irradiation testing to its portfolio of analytical services for the food industry, to verify treatment and detect undeclared instances of irradiation
The irradiation testing service will be able to verify whether irradiation treatment has been given to herbs and spices, and perhaps more significantly, to detect instances where undeclared irradiation treatment may have been used on foods.
The test relies on the technique of Pulsed Photo-stimulated luminescence (PSL) developed by David Sanderson at the Scottish Universities Reactor Centre in Glasgow, and will follow the ring-tested CEN protocol.
It will be applied as a general screening technique alongside standard microbiology assays, highlighting those cases that merit further investigation.
When any food products show a negligible bio-count and a positive result for irradiation treatment, this would be a clear indication that irradiation has taken place.
