Shops were yesterday ordered by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland to remove from sale 10 herbal supplement products found to be incorrectly labelled.
The products, which include certain brands of raspberry leaves and turmeric, were discovered during testing to have been irradiated or to contain irradiated components but this was not stated on their labels.
Food irradiation is a process that can be used to reduce the level of harmful micro-organisms in food, kill insects or pests which may be harboured in foods, delay ripening of fruit and vegetables and prevent sprouting or germination in foods such as potatoes, onions and garlic.
Mr Alan Reilly, deputy chief executive of the FSAI, said the process is generally considered safe when carried out under controlled conditions and in suitable facilities. However, he warned that products not labelled as irradiated cannot be sold in Ireland or in the EU.
He said when products are labelled as irradiated consumers can be sure the technology is being used in a constructive and verifiable manner.
Under EU legislation a food may only be irradiated if irradiation is not used as a substitute for hygiene, if there is a reasonable technological need, if it does not present a health hazard, and if it is of benefit to consumers.
The 10 products which must now be removed from sale include Silymarin Milk Thistle, Saw Palmetto and Raspberry Leaves, all with the Good 'n' Natural Select Herbals brand; Devil's Claw - Solgar and Rivo brands; Butcher's Broom Root from Nature's Way Herbal Single; Holland & Barrett's Unique Garlic; Boots' Dong Qual; Black Cohosh from Sona Herbal Remedies; and Cynara brand Turmeric.
The FSAI surveyed the products at the request of the EU which is trying to establish the level of irradiated herbal supplements on the EU market. The survey revealed 10 of 24 supplements looked at were irradiated but not labelled as such.