Quantity and economic scale of food irradiation in the world

Kume, Tamikazu*; Furuta, Masakazu*; Todoriki, Setsuko*; Uenoyama, Naoki*; Kobayashi, Yasuhiko

The status of food irradiation in the world in 2005 was studied using a questionnaire survey and direct interview. The total quantity and economic scale of irradiated foods in the world were estimated as 405,000 tons and 1.61 trillion Japanese Yen (JPY), respectively. Processed foods totaled 183,000 tons (45%) in Asia and Oceania, 116,000 tons (29%) in the American region, 90,000 tons (22%) in Africa and Ukraine, and 15,000 tons (4%) in the EU. The economic scale, estimated using the price at retail stores converted to JPY using an IMF conversion table, was 1.07 trillion JPY (67%) in the American region, 309 billion JPY (19%) in Asia and Oceania, 181 billion JPY (11%) in Africa and Ukraine, and 50 billion JPY (3%) in the EU.