Food Irradiation is potential solution to the stagnant export of different agricultural products in the country.

Food irradiation is a latest technology of food preservation that offers some unique benefits compared to that offered by traditional preservation/sanitation techniques.

For agricultural commodities Irradiation is highly potential to meet SPS requirements of developed countries. In Pakistan about 30-40% of agriculture produce is lost on account of post harvest losses and due to poor sanitation with lack of latest technologies crops are exposed to the risk of food borne diseases for the community.

Food Irradiation has emerged internationally as solution to post harvest issues for agriculture not only in developed countries but developing countries are also striving to acquire irradiation technology to reduce post harvest losses.

  In 1996, USDA, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) published a policy statement concerning the use of irradiation as a treatment for quarantine pests in plants.USDA also undergoing agreements with different countries for the use of irradiation as a phytosanitory treatment for their crops. Thailand is first from Asia to reach an agreement with USDA for exchange of irradiated fruits.

Pakistan has also signed framework in 2007 with USDA to use the technology for phytosanitory purposes. Keeping in view the potential of technology Government of Pakistan also approved food irradiation in 1996 but technology have not been able to deliver its optimum benefits for agriculture crops due to lack of irradiation facilities in the country.

A wide variety of agriculture crops approved by Government of Pakistan from fruits and vegetables to different herbs and spices can be benefited by irradiation. Irradiation delivers wide range of benefits for different agriculture crops with a high potential to reduce post harvest losses and to improve agricultural exports.

Extension of Shelf Life

Irradiation can extend shelf life of different produce by deactivating molds, killing spoilage organisms and by delaying ripening for fruits and vegetables. Therefore irradiated commodities are kept fresh for longer periods of time. Moreover, by interfering with cell division, irradiation inhibits sprouting in tubers, bulbs, and root vegetables like potatoes and onions.

Plant Protection (Quarantine requirements)

Irradiation treatment can be used to control different pests of perishable produce therefore can be highly beneficial for the countries like Pakistan. Irradiation also controls different fruit flies and USDA has therefore allowed Pakistan mango exports only if it will be treated with irradiation for elimination of fruit flies.

Insect Infestation

The presence of live insects may be unacceptable to many countries, regardless of biological existence. So it is a serious threat to exports of different agriculture products if they are held at the port of entry while insect sterility is verified. Food Irradiation eliminates insects with out any residual effects.  

Alternate to chemicals

Under an international environmental treaty called Montreal Protocol, the use of traditional chemicals like Methyl Bromide, Ethylene di-bromide, Ethylene di-chloride, Ethylene oxide for fumigation of grains and other materials are being banned by various countries. So agriculture produce is left with limited choice and irradiation presents an effective alternative to traditional fumigants and pesticides, resulting in a reduction of chemical residues in food and preventing the health hazards associated with the use of such agricultural commodities.

Food safety

Despite efforts to exercise good agricultural practices, raw foodstuffs may still become contaminated with pathogenic organisms, particularly in countries where food animals are not maintained in sanitary conditions, and where untreated waste and waste water is used for fertilization and irrigation. This particularly holds for developing countries like Pakistan where warm, humid climate is ideal for the growth and proliferation of pathogenic organisms. The poor food handling practices further contribute to an increase in contamination and result in multiple food borne diseases. Irradiation has the ability to destroy pathogenic (disease causing) organisms in agricultural produce without any residual effects. So irradiation possess great potential to address trade and health issues of the country and it is required to pave the way for development of such irradiation facilities that can help our exporters generating revenues from the lucrative markets of the world.

Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission in collaboration with Pakistan Horticulture Development & Export Board is establishing Paras Foods (Pvt) Ltd, the first food irradiation company of Pakistan. Company has annual capacity of irradiating 60000 tons of fruits & vegetables and is based at Lahore. Food irradiation is internationally recognized phytosanitory treatments for fruits and vegetables so it is believed that it will solve the constraints of agriculture exporters particularly regarding international quarantine requirements of the developed countries.