FI Watch new animated film:
Revenge of the Irradiated Mangoes NOW PLAYING
Thanks to EngageMedia for hosting our film.
food irradiation watch
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Food Irradiation Watch is an affiliate of Friends of the Earth Australia
Australian Consumers Association
Friends of the Earth Australia
Greenpeace True Foods
Campaign
European Food Irradiation Campaign
Food Standards Australia New Zealand
Food
and Agriculture Organisation
& the International Atomic Energy Agency
News at FI Watch
Release of Winter edition of "Food Irradiation Eye"
Features:
- How you can help FI Watch
- Success! Ban of irradiation of irradiation of cat food after deaths
- Labelling review public consultations 2010
- New fruit irradiation approval in the works: Persimmon
- For Sale: ZAPPED! The people's movement against irradiation
- FI Watch invited to Japanese irradiation symposium
[read more]
You can subscribe to our newsletter [here]
Irradiation of cat food banned: call for total ban on food irradiation
Australian agricultural minister Tony Burke has banned the irradiation of cat food after 30 cats died and 90 cats became ill as a result of neurological disorders brought on by eating irradiated cat food "Orijen". The food had been irradiated on arrival to Australia as recommended by the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service. Orijen is exported to over 60 countries and only irradiated in Australia. Other treatments including heat treatment are available.
Dr Georgina Child, the Sydney vet that made the link between the illness and irradiated cat food, told the SMH that the ban did not go far enough. She says, "We still don't know why this problem was unique to cats, and we are not certain why some brands of pet food are affected by irradiation and not others." She went on to say, "What this does show is that all food that has been irradiated needs to be labelled, which isn't the case at the moment."
Food Irradiation Watch are calling for a total ban on food irradiation for both humans and animals, including animal feed. We are also asking for better and comprehensive labelling in the interim.
We urge you to write to the relevant ministers urging this ban. A sample letter is available [here]
Surveys for new guide under way
FI Watch are undertaking a survey of food manufacturers for a new Irradiation Free Food Guide.
Madura Tea joins irradiation-free status
Australian company Madura Tea are the latest brand name to commit to irradiation-free status of their popular teas. They have committed to use only non-irradiated ingredients in all of their products. Madura have gone further to state that they will also not be using irradiated packaging on their products.
We welcome them and they will be appearing in the next version of the Irradiation Free Food Guide.
New Book: ZAPPED! the people's movement against irradiation
Food & Water Watch Executive Director Wenonah Hauter and researcher Mark Worth, explores why this process, known as food irradiation, poses numerous health risks to consumers and ignores the fundamental problems plaguing food production systems. Written by long time food safety advocates, Zapped! chronicles the worldwide movement against the irradiation of food.
$10 + postageTo order, email us at foodirradiationwatch[at]yahoo.com.au
Watch an interview with the authors on YouTube [here]
Irradiated pet food endangering pets health, killing pets
27 cats in Australia have developed a neurological disorder acknowledged to be due to the irradiation of ORIJEN pet food imported from Canada. FI Watch are calling for the inclusion of pet food under the gambit of food labelling laws to prevent irradiated foods entering our country and risking loved ones lives. Champion Petfoods has asked customers to "stop feeding ORIJEN cat food and return any unused portion to the place of purchase..." the warning includes cats or dogs that may have consumed Orijen for Dogs.
Send a letter demanding food laws protect pets from irradiated food too. Sample letter here
Irradiation is the process of exposing products to radiation, generally for shelf life extension or sterilisation. Australia now permits the irradiation of herbal teas, herbs, spices, nine tropical fruits, therapeutic goods, bee hives, animal feed and pet food.
Numerous scientific studies have exposed the harmful effects of food irradiation. Irradiation causes vitamin and amino acid depletion in food. It changes the molecular structure of food forming toxic chemicals linked to: cancer, organ damage, genetic mutations, immune system disorders, tumors, stunted growth, reproductive problems and nutritional deficiencies. (Public Citizen, April 2003)
The illness recently seen in these pets proves without a doubt that the consumption of irradiated products can be unsafe. However, consumers are unable to make informed choices due to the inadequate labelling regulations. Many products consumed by humans or the animals they care for are exempt from labelling as they are not legally deemed to be "food" under Australian (and New Zealand) law.
We demand LABELLING of ALL things that are consumed by humans and animals - including pet food, animal/stock feed, therapeutic goods and those products that are currently legally classified as "food".
Food Irradiation poses an unacceptable risk for our pets, community members at large and in particular - those at risk, the sick, the elderly and our children -future generations. We say NO!
For more information about the Orijen Pet food case and recall:
Champion petfoods media |Safe Food Queensland |Recall notice
Order a free Irradiation-free Food Guide: foodirradiationwatch@yahoo.com.au
or check out our online Irradiation Free Food Guide which includes pet food companies [here]
New brand names join our Irradiation Free Food Guide
NEW! Cerebos have recently joined the green category of the Irradiation Free Food Guide. Cerebos brands include: Riva, Mocopan, Gravox, Fountain, Saxa, Foster Clark's desserts, Tandaco and also Cerebos Gregg's Ltd, which operates in New Zealand.
Masterfoods, Nerada Tea, Kookaburra Raw Peanuts & Camp Oven Mixes Cake Mixes, Grove Fruit Juice and Bakers Delight have all sent through irradiation-free policies and will now be listed in the green section of the Irradiation-free Food Guide. While Kookaburra and Grove are new to the Guide, Baker's Delight is listed in this year's version in the "Red - non-respondent category." It is great to see them make the effort to get in to the Green. We hope all of these companies' commitment will inspire others to go irradiation-free Irradiation-free honor roll.
Several companies stand out in the efforts to oppose food irradiation in Australia this year.
The Pancake Parlour restaurant chain in Victoria has distributed an average of 200 Irradiation-free Food Guides at each of its ten stores, making it a great disseminator of information as well as a dedicated pro-organic, irradiation-free business and a delicious place to eat.
Abundance Herbs based in Brisbane has been a great campaign supporter and one of the only businesses we have seen that labels their products "free from irradiation." Sonia Fletcher from Abundance Herbs says all her products are labelled free from irradiation, pesticides, herbicides, GM ingredients and artificial fertilizers because people need to be aware of these potentially harmful processes. Sonia makes her on non-irradiated herbal infusions and has been a keen distributor of the Guide.
Food Connect, an organic (or near organic) food delivery service based on Community Supported Agriculture principles has also been active in distributing guides, supporting the cause and feeding the campaign.
Absolutely Organics in Western Australia and Happy High Herbs nationally have also been great irradiation-free food advocates this year.
Join the FI Watch mailing list
"Food Irradiation Eye" is the irregulars newsletter of FI Watch.
If you'd like to keep up to date with irradiation and food news from Australia and around the world you can subscribe to our newsletter by sending an email with the subject 'subscribe' to foodirradiationwatchnews[at]lists.riseup.net
Zapped Aussie mangoes back on New Zealand shelves in 2007/2008 season
Food Irradiation Watch and Friends of the Earth New Zealand have been monitoring the access of Australian grown and irradiatied mangoes into the NZ marketplace.
Mangoes originating in the Northern Territory and possibly being irradiated in Queensland are already appearing in NZ stores. The mangoes in question are the Tou's brand.
A warning to NZ consumers: in our experience, irradiated mangoes are NOT always labelled. If you want to avoid irradiated foods, be sure to ask the shop managers.
New report on the status of Food Irradiation around the world
U.S. advocacy group, Food & Water Watch have released a new report "Food Irradiation Around the World". Download your copy [here]
Some excerpts from the report:
- In February 2006, AEA Technology (AEAT), a company that was formerly part of the UK Atomic Energy Authority, was found guilty of a series of failings that led to a Cobalt- 60 transportation incident two years ago.
- In Ireland, 14 samples of noodles tested positive for irradiated ingredients. None of them were labeled.
- The EU has placed on ban on further irradiation approvals due to scientific research questioning the safety of some chemicals formed when food is exposed to radiation.
- A string of failures makes it clear there is little demand for irradiated food in the United States. As a result of low consumer demand, several irradiation companies have struggled.
- Despite a very strong push from the government, irradiation remains widely unpopular among consumers in Australia and New Zealand, so no new irradiation applications have been made. Labeling in Australia and New Zealand is still inadequate, as is monitoring by the government.