ABSTRACT
Food irradiation is a feasible technology for the preservation of vital food supplies and for extending the shelf life of food. Since the introduction of food irradiation, reassurance has been sought by national and international authorities concerned with the safety of the food supply for the consumer that any changes in food composition caused by irradiation did not render the food unwholesome. Consequently, governmental authorities charged with ensuring a safe and wholesome food supply for the population and protecting the consumer need to be reassured by objective evidence of the safety of the food irradiation process. International Project in the Field of Food Irradiation organized the investigation of certain toxicological aspects related to irradiated foods, requested by the 1969 and 1976 sessions of Joint Expert Committee on Food Irradiation, to help with the clearance of the process from the point of view of safety to health.
