Withdrawal of herbal supplements

A WIDE range of herbal supplements on sale in Ireland are to be withdrawn from the market after it was discovered they had been irradiated, contrary to EU legislation.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland has advised stockists to remove 10 herbal supplement products which had been irradiated and wrongly labelled.

It follows tests conducted by the FSAI on 24 different products at the request of the European Commission to determine the level of irradiated herbal supplements being sold within the EU.

Under existing legislation, it is mandatory to label all foods which have been irradiated. However, the process is only permitted where it poses no risk to human health, is beneficial to consumers and is not a substitute for hygiene and health practices.

The products found to be withdrawn from the Irish market are:

Boots’ Dong Quai

Cynara’s Turmeric

Good ‘n’ Natural Raspberry Leaves, Silymarin Milk Thistle and Saw Palmetto

Holland & Barrett’s Unique Garlic

Nature’s Way Butcher’s Broom Root

Rivo’s Devil’s Claw

Solgar’s Devil’s Claw

Sona’s Black Cohosh

Under EU legislation, herbal supplements may not be irradiated, although certain constituents of the products may legally be done so, provided consumers are informed of the process through labelling.

A vast array of food items are irradiated in order to reduce the level of harmful micro-organisms contained in products.

It is also a process designed to kill insects hidden in the food, prevent sprouting and germination as well as to delay the ripening of fruit and vegetables.

FSAI spokesperson Alan Reilly stressed irradiation was generally considered safe when properly controlled and posed no threat to human health. He pointed out that, contrary to some beliefs, irradiated foods are not radioactive.

However, it is crucial the food industry is aware of its legal obligations in regard to food irradiation so that consumers can be assured that this technology is being used in a constructive and verifiable manner,” said Mr Reilly.

The FSAI has also begun an examination of more herbal supplement products sold in Ireland to determine the extent of the problem.