HC Deb 09 June 1992 vol 209 c105W
Mr. William Powell

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made on the development of detection tests for irradiated food.

Mr. Gummer

My Department's food science laboratory today published a report in the "Food Analysis" series, a methodology for the detection of irradiated herbs and spices, using a technique called thermoluminescence.

The test has been validated internationally and recently was the subject of a successful collaborative trial in European laboratories co-ordinated by the Community bureau of reference (BCR). A summary of the BCR results appears in the report.

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