On 2 December, the Economic Chamber hosted an international workshop on the topic “Food Sterilization with Ionizing Radiation: Technologies and Legal Framework.” The event was co-organized with the accredited Radiation Physics Laboratory (RAD-LAB) at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technologies in Skopje, the Food and Veterinary Agency (AHV), and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna. Macedonian companies importing and producing food participated in the workshop.

The workshop aimed to inform local companies about the potential of this technology, which has been in use worldwide for over 70 years, as well as the legal obligations concerning the import of products from countries with irradiation facilities.

Svetlana Kolarikj, a state advisor from the AHV, emphasized that the agency consistently monitors European and global trends, harmonizing national legislation with EU standards. She noted that neither food operators nor consumers are often aware of the barriers faced, which the AHV needs to address, including the specifics of irradiated food.

Professor Hristina Spasevska, head of RAD-LAB, presented the results of tests conducted under the national monitoring program over the past five years. She highlighted that Macedonia imports food treated with ionizing radiation. RAD-LAB’s equipment can detect the presence of treated material in products down to 5%. Unfortunately, local companies show little interest in testing imported products to ensure consumer protection.

Katerina Gerazova-Efremova, an AHV head of unit, outlined the legal framework for this type of food. She stressed that irradiated food must be labeled and accompanied by documentation detailing the treatment process and the facility where it was carried out.

Finally, Professor Uwe Goh, an expert from the IAEA, shared the latest insights into irradiation technologies, the process of building industrial irradiation facilities, and their multi-purpose applications in food production, medicine, pharmaceuticals, and polymer industries.

During the discussion between speakers and company representatives, it was concluded that this technology holds significant potential for application in our country, particularly in food imports. However, it requires better education for operators and consumers to ensure its effective implementation.