Consumer Acceptance of Food Irradiation Technology

Food irradiation employs controlled doses of ionising radiation to eliminate pathogens, extend shelf life and enhance food safety without materially altering nutritional value or sensory quality. Despite endorsements by international health organisations and decades of safe application across more than 60 countries, public uptake remains constrained by persistent misconceptions and emotional responses to radiation. Consumer acceptance is shaped by a complex interplay of affective and cognitive processes, wherein visceral distrust often outweighs statistical evidence of safety. Knowledge deficits and food technology neophobia compound perceived risks, while social influences and trust in regulators moderate willingness to purchase irradiated products. Successful adoption thus depends on transparent labelling, tailored educational strategies and clear communication of benefits relative to alternative treatments. Recent insights reveal that targeted interventions—such as multimedia presentations, narrative framing and engagement with stakeholder networks—can soften resistance, particularly among younger, more educated urban populations. Understanding demographic and cultural determinants of acceptance is essential for designing policies and communication programmes that secure the full potential of irradiation for global food security and trade.

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Consumer Acceptance of Food Irradiation Technology publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in consumer acceptance of food irradiation technology across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Ionising radiation: High‐energy radiation capable of removing electrons from atoms, used in food processing to inactivate microorganisms.

Food irradiation: The treatment of food products with ionising radiation to improve safety and extend shelf life without residual radioactivity.

Food technology neophobia: Reluctance to try novel food processing methods, driven by fear of the unknown or perceived unnaturalness.

Subjective social norm: An individual’s perception of social pressure to perform or refrain from a behaviour, such as purchasing irradiated foods.

Behavioural intention: A person’s stated likelihood of performing a behaviour, often used as a predictor of actual purchasing decisions.

References

1. World Market Development and Consumer Acceptance of Irradiation Technology. Foods (2016).
2. Evaluating Factors Explaining U.S. Consumers’ Behavioral Intentions toward Irradiated Ground Beef. Foods (2023).
3. Research on irradiated food status and consumer acceptance: A Chinese perspective. Food Science & Nutrition (2023).
4. The attitude of Polish consumers toward food irradiation as one of the methods of food preservation. Frontiers in Public Health (2023).