French and German researchers saw red when they were told that their work to assess the toxicity of chemicals created when food was irradiated was insufficient to guide decisions about safety for humans. They accused the European Union’s Food Safety Agency of lack of caution and stated that the chemicals (called 2-alkylcyclobutanones - 2-ACBs), which are only found in irradiated foods, caused genetic damage to both bacterial cells and human cell cultures.

Some health food companies, including Holland and Barrett and Peter Black Healthcare, have ignored warnings from the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the Soil Association that supplements like ginger, wild yam root, echinacea and ginseng may have been irradiated, and that they should check their suppliers more carefully. Several products labelled ‘non-irradiated’ were found to have been irradiated.

Under European Union (EU) law, some herbs, spices and seasonings may be irradiated, but consumer opposition has so far held back European Commission and World Trade Organisation (WTO) Codex Alimentarius plans to open up more foods to irradiation.