thumb|150px|right|The Radura logo, used to show a food has been treated with ionizing radiation (international version)

thumb|150px|right|The Radura symbol, used to show a food has been treated with [[Irradiation|ionizing radiation (U.S. FDA version)]]

The Radura symbol serves as an international indicator that a food item has undergone irradiation. Typically depicted in green, it features a plant design within a circular outline, with the circle's top section represented by dashes. The specific design elements, including colors, can differ across various countries.

Meaning of the word "Radura"

The word "Radura" is derived from radurization, in itself a portmanteau combining the initial letters of the word "radiation" with the stem of "durus", the Latin word for hard, lasting.

History

The Radura symbol was created by inventors from the former Pilot Plant for Food Irradiation in Wageningen, Netherlands, which later evolved into the company known as Gammaster, now called Isotron. The plant's director at the time, R.M. Ulmann, introduced the symbol to the global community. During a presentation, Ulmann explained the meaning of the Radura symbol: it represents food, specifically an agricultural product depicted as a plant (indicated by a dot and two leaves) inside a sealed package (symbolized by the circle). The symbol also shows the food being irradiated from above, through the packaging, by ionizing rays, which is represented by the breaks in the upper part of the circle.

Initially introduced in the 1960s, the Radura symbol was exclusively used by a food irradiation pilot plant in Wageningen, Netherlands, which held the copyright. Jan Leemhorst, the then president of Gammaster, proactively promoted the symbol's international use. The symbol became available for any entity that complied with established quality standards. Additionally, the Atomic Energy of South Africa adopted the Radura, using the term 'radurized' to describe irradiated food. Leemhorst played a crucial role in having the symbol included in the Codex Alimentarius Standard for irradiated food, providing an option for labeling such products. Presently, the Radura is recognized in the Codex Alimentarius Standard for the Labelling of Prepacked Food.

Usage

The symbol Radura was originally used as a symbol of quality for food processed by ionizing radiation. concerns expressed by some consumer groups and the reluctance of many food producers. Proponents of food irradiation have been frustrated by proposals to use international warning symbols for radiation hazard or bio-hazard since irradiated food does not pose any radiological or biological hazards.

The European Community does not provide for the use of the Radura logo and relies exclusively on labeling by the appropriate phrases in the respective languages of the Member States. Furthermore, irradiated ingredients have to be labeled even down to the last molecule contained in the final product; (NOTE: The Radura symbol as compulsory under FDA-rule has a design slightly different from the Codex Alimentarius version;

Such requirements are seen by consumer groups as helpful information to consumers concerned about food irradiation.

References

  • Food Irradiation: What You Need to Know