Food Standards Australia New Zealand, which last year allowed irradiated tomatoes and capsicums at the same dose to protect against fruit fly, is expected to approve the application next April. New Zealand already allows irradiation for spices and tropical fruits such as mangoes.
Horticulture NZ, which represents fruit and vegetable growers, said it accepted FSANZ's assurance that the process was safe but was concerned that some fruit would probably be used in other products without any warning to shoppers.
Chief executive officer Peter Silcock said a lot of fruit was sold in processed form, such as fruit salads, juices and smoothies, in the fast food, catering and restaurant businesses.
"We've seen it with irradiated tomatoes. We haven't seen a lot of that labelling on products that include tomatoes, yet we know a lot of tomatoes are going into food service."
New Zealand Fresh Produce Importers Association chief executive Kevin Nalder said the agency should fast-track the irradiation of all fresh fruit and vegetables to save costs, as it was now well established that the process was safe.
The association believed irradiation labelling was outdated, as it was only one of many issues which might concern customers.
He said it was unclear whether health import standards would be ready in time to sell some of the products in New Zealand next year. Any approval would come too late for grapes and might miss the winter season for zucchini.
Irradiated food in NZ
• Now
Tropical fruits (mangoes, breadfruit, carambola, custard apples, longans, lychees, papaya, persimmons, rambutans), herbs, spices, herbal infusions.
• Proposed
Apples, apricots, cherries, honeydew melons, nectarines, peaches, plums, rockmelons, strawberries, grapes, zucchini and scallopini.