News

IAEA Coordinated Research Project (CRP) - Radiation Treatment of Wastewater, application deadline 3 September 2010. Please find more information and electronic versions of application forms on http://www-crp.iaea.org/

Radiation Safety of Gamma, Electron and X Ray Irradiation Facilities Safety Guide – 2010 Publication. IAEA Safety Standards Series No. SSG-8. This Safety Guide provides recommendations on how to meet the requirements of the Basic Safety Standards with regard to irradiation facilities.

10-13 June 2010 over 240 delegates attended CIRE 2010, 32 of which came from 12 foreign countries. 12 iiA Members were present at the conference. Mr Li Guanxing, President of the Chinese Nuclear Society formally opened the conference.

We are pleased to welcome SQHL (Beijing SanQiangHeLi Radiation Engineering Technology Co., Ltd) in our association.

The International Irradiation Association (iiA) is a member of the Panel on Gamma and Electron Irradiation and has a reciprocal recognition by the iiA. This report provides on the summaries of Panel activities in the members-only section of the iiA website. We encourage individuals directly responsible for technical and regulatory activities view the resources available on the Panel website and to alert them to the contribution that they could make via the Panel.

Preparation for the 9th Ionizing Radiation and Polymers Meeting, IRaP 2010, has been going very well. IRaP 2010 will be held on October 25-29, 2010 at the University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA.

Course offered by the Irradiation PANEL 12-14 October 2010 to be held at Aérial CRT, Rue Laurent Fries, Parc d'innovation,F67412 Strasbourg Illkirch, France.  This three day course will provide training in both the theory and practical implementation of dosimetry for radiation processing. Particular emphasis will be placed on medical device sterilization and the requirements of standard EN/ISO 11137, but the course will also be applicable to dosimetry for other radiation processing applications.

On 30 April 2010 Mr. N. Ramamoorthy, Director of Physics and Chemistry Division, IAEA and  Ms. A. Starz , Nuclear Energy Department, IAEA have officially passed a nomination of the Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology (INCR), Warsaw Poland as an IAEA Collaborating Centre on Radiation Processing and Industrial Dosimetry.

Yves Henon, our iiA Asia pacific representative attended the IAEA Consultant Meeting to review and adopt guidelines on audit and accreditation of food irradiation facilities in Jakarta Indonesia from 10th to 14th May 2010. The IAEA invited him to participate as an expert and to represent the iiA.

31 May 2010 IAEA News.  Radioactive waste and spent fuel are side products in nuclear energy production and other nuclear applications in medicine, industry and research.

MICROTROL Sterilisation Services PVT. Ltd. is pleased to inform the iiA their gamma radiation facility located in Bangalore India is now included on the European list of approved irradiation facilities for foods per EC Decision No. 2010 / 172 / EU dated 22 March 2010.  Mr Vikram Kalia, Director of MICROTROL shared the good news with us and expressed thanks for guidance, support and encouragement.

The rapid growth of GETINGE LINAC and of electron beam sterilization technologies have brought about a sustained evolution in our expertise and in the resources which are vital to the development of our activities.

In the middle of a nationwide outbreak of salmonella linked to black and red pepper, US federal regulators met with the spice industry to figure out ways to make the supply safer according to a Washington Post article in March 2010. This outbreak, which is not confined to Americans but transcends borders, could have easily been prevented. It is an absolute disgrace.

In January 2010, the Institute of Bio-medical Problems (IBMP) of Russia Academy of Science certified four Korean irradiated space foods; Bulgogi, Bibimbap, Seaweed soup, and Mulberry beverage developed by the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI). This is the second certification by IBMP. The first certification of irradiated space food included Kimchi, Ramen, Sujeonggwa, and Nutrition bar which South Korea’s first astronaut, Yi So-yeon, took with her in April 2008 to the International Space Station and shared with the crew of the orbiting station

The five day meeting during 1-5 March was able to generate a first draft of a Guideline for the inspection and accreditation of food irradiation facilities focused on phytosanitary (as opposed to food safety) requirements. This document when finalised by the working group will be presented to representatives from the Asia and Pacific Plant protection Commission (APPPC) member countries at a meeting scheduled for May in Indonesia. It is hoped it will go forward from there for wider adoption.

16 March 2010 initiated a new stage of strengthening in the international market by means of the creation of IONISOS IBERICA the Spanish subsidiary of the Groupe IONISOS, after having successfully finalized the process of integration initiated in the year 2007 with the French group.

Early February at BSI in London the ISO TC 198 WG2- Radiation Sterilization met with twelve delegates representing seven countries (Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Japan, UK and USA). The working group reviewed and resolved 212 submitted on the text.

The IAEA recently published the report of the 2nd RCM on “Development of Novel Adsorbents and Membranes by Radiation-induced Grafting for Selective Separation Purposes”, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen, Switzerland 15-19 June 2009. This report is an outcome from the IRaP 2006 held in the Antalya, Turkey and the first Research Coordination Meeting.

Memo 7 March 2010 to Members and Explanatory Report for ISO TC34 / WG 10 – Vote on DIS 14470, Food Irradiation – Requirements for the development, validation and routine control of the ionizing radiation process used for the treatment of food.

Since October 2000, FDA has approved two petitions and issues a partial response to a third that permits the use of irradiation on two food items; six petitions are still pending and under review. 

04 March 2010 | A New Zealand company requires consultancy from a Food Technologist/Scientist with expertise in Increasing shelf life of bakery products. This search is being conducted by The New Zealand Foundation for Research, Science and Technology through our Global Expert Service. Global Expert provides a service for NZ Companies to help identify experts, development partners and suppliers, to assist them with technical, product development and product sourcing. More information is available at: http://www.frst.govt.nz/expert/global

The Technological Laboratory of Uruguay (LATU) on 23 February 2010 celebrated the grand opening of the first gamma irradiator in their region. Attending the Ceremony was Dr. Tabaré Vázquez, the President of the Republic of Uruguay, along with many other dignitaries and invited guests.

Many Chinese now enjoy a typical delicacy; fermented spicy irradiated chicken feet and wings. On the package is a declaration of irradiation to inform the consumer at the point of sale of this treatment.  A logical question, why is irradiation used?

In India, Innova is about to start the operation of a gamma irradiator near Bangalore. The project is a joint venture between the State of Karnataka and Parrot Biotech in Hyderabad, a company engaged in the production of vaccines.

IMRP Montreal 2011, presented by iiA with our Regional Host MDS Nordion, is starting to really take shape. We have assembled an outstanding Programme Committee team under the leadership of Eamonn Hoxey, Programme Chair. The team assembled together last November and they are working hard to develop an outstanding technical, scientific and business focused program built around the conference theme “Where science and business connect.”

As we begin the New Year, the Board wants to thank our Members for their continued support in our efforts to build a strong and unique global association for the advancement of safe and beneficial uses of industrial radiation processing. We are working very hard and have accomplished much and have many initiatives underway that will benefit our members.

The Agriculture Department (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) amended the phytosanitary treatment regulations. Reference Federal Register / Volume 74, No. 16/ Tuesday, January 26, 2010/ Rules and Regulations (pages 4228-4253).

13 January 2010 – New an updated list of competent authorities of the member states for food irradiation facilities and food and food ingredients which may be treated with ionising radiation.  This is according to Art 7 (1) of Directive 1999/2/EC of the European Parliament and Council on the approximation of the laws of the member states concerning foods and food ingredients treated with ionising radiation.

The China Isotope and Radiation Association (CIRA), founded in April 1989, is a non-profit organization composed of enterprises, companies, institutes and individuals that are in the business of managing, manufacturing or using isotope and radiation.

ASTM Subcommittee E10.01 on Radiation Processing: Dosimetry and Applications, held the 6th installment of their workshop on dosimetry for radiation processing October 4th – 8th, 2009 in Ettlingen, Germany.  The workshop, held in a 12th century castle (the Schloss Ettlingen), had participation from 66 registrants from 20 different countries.

Marcotte Consulting has made a significant donation of food irradiation research files, technical and historical documents to the National Agriculture Library (NAL) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Beltsville Maryland. The collection, included over 20 large boxes of food irradiation petitions, papers, pamphlets, books and records.

Mohamad Al-Sheikhly Chair, IRaP 2010 is honored to invite you to attend the 9th meeting of the Ionizing Radiation and Polymers, IRaP 2010, scheduled for October 25–29, 2010 at the University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland. At IRaP 2010, the vital implications of the dynamic and diverse aspects of radiation effects on polymers and radiation-induced polymerization will be addressed by international experts from academia, industry and national laboratories.