New National Standard GB/T 18525.1-2026 — The Red Beans and Mung Beans You Eat May Have Been "Irradiated"!

Starting December 1, 2026, a new national standard concerning food safety on your dining table will officially take effect—

Recently, the State Administration for Market Regulation and the Standardization Administration of China issued the 2026 No. 23 National Standard Announcement, among which the "Irradiation Technology for Agricultural Products — Part 1: Legumes and Their Products" (GB/T 18525.1-2026) is particularly noteworthy. This standard, led by the Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, will officially take effect on December 1, 2026, replacing the old standard (GB/T 18525.1-2001) that has been in use for over 20 years.

When hearing the word "irradiation," many people's first reaction is: "Is it safe?" "Will food have radioactive residues after being irradiated?" Today, we'll use an easy-to-understand science explainer to give you a comprehensive understanding of this new technology and new standard.

What is "Irradiation"? Not Nuclear Contamination, but "Cold Sterilization"

First, let's put your mind at ease: irradiated food ≠ food contaminated by nuclear radiation — the two are fundamentally different.

Food irradiation technology is a physical sterilization and preservation technique developed in the 20th century. Its principle is simple: using γ-rays, X-rays, or high-energy electron beams to irradiate food. These rays have extremely strong penetrating power and can damage the DNA structure of pests and microorganisms, rendering them unable to reproduce or killing them outright, thereby achieving the goals of pest control, sterilization, and extended shelf life.

To use an analogy: just as ultraviolet rays in sunlight can kill dust mites and bacteria when you air out your quilt, the quilt itself doesn't "glow" or become "radioactive" as a result. Food irradiation is likewise a purely physical processing procedure — the food never comes into direct contact with the radiation source, and no radioactive residues remain after treatment.

As early as 1980, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) jointly declared that food irradiated within prescribed dose limits is safe and wholesome. More than 60 countries worldwide have approved the use of irradiated food.

Why Do Legumes Need to Be "Irradiated"?

Legumes — red beans, mung beans, soybeans, black beans, peas... — are an indispensable part of the Chinese diet. However, during storage and transportation, legumes face two major "natural enemies":

The first is pest infestation. Storage pests such as bruchid beetles and lesser grain borers are the "number one killers" of legumes. You may have had this experience: opening a bag of mung beans stored for a long time and finding it crawling with small insects. The traditional method is to use chemical fumigants for pest control, but this carries the risk of pesticide residues.

The second is microbial contamination. Microorganisms such as molds, Escherichia coli, and Bacillus bacteria tend to proliferate in humid conditions, causing legumes to become moldy and spoil, and even producing harmful substances like aflatoxins.

Irradiation technology happens to solve both of these problems precisely:

Pest control: A low dose of 0.2–0.6 kGy can effectively kill all life stages of storage pests such as bruchid beetles (eggs, larvae, and adults).

Sterilization: For deeply processed legume products (such as legume flour and ready-to-eat legume products), the dose can be adjusted to 5–10 kGy depending on the level of microbial contamination, effectively eliminating molds and pathogenic bacteria.

More importantly, irradiation is a "cold process" — the temperature rise during the entire procedure does not exceed 10°C, preserving the nutritional content and original flavor of legumes to the greatest extent possible. Compared with high-temperature cooking or chemical treatment, the retention rate of nutrients such as protein and vitamins in irradiated legumes can reach over 90%.

What Exactly Is "New" About the New National Standard?

Compared with the old 2001 standard, GB/T 18525.1-2026 has undergone many significant changes, reflecting the progress of China's agricultural product irradiation technology over the past two decades:

1. A Changed Title and a Broader Scope

The old standard was titled "Irradiation Pest Control Technology for Legumes" and focused only on "pest control." The new standard has been renamed "Irradiation Technology for Agricultural Products — Part 1: Legumes and Their Products," covering both pest control and sterilization functions, with the scope of application expanded from raw legumes alone to various legume products such as legume flour, dried tofu, and ready-to-eat legume products.

2. From "Experience-Based Operation" to "Full-Process Control"

The old standard mainly specified dose and hygiene requirements. The new standard establishes a comprehensive quality management system for the entire process:

Before irradiation: Clear requirements are set for raw material condition, packaging methods, initial microbial and pest status;

During irradiation: Detailed specifications are provided for irradiation facility requirements, process dose determination, dose monitoring, and interruption assessment;

After irradiation: Requirements for process dose confirmation, storage, and release are added;

Throughout the entire process: New requirements for record-keeping and document management are added, enabling full traceability.

3. More Precise Doses, Balancing "Effectiveness" and "Tolerance"

A core highlight of the new standard is that it specifies the minimum effective dose for pest control and sterilization, as well as the maximum tolerance dose for the products.

What does this mean? Simply put, it means "the dose must be high enough to kill pests and pathogens, but not so high as to damage the legumes themselves." If the dose is too low, sterilization and pest control will not be achieved; if too high, it may affect the color, flavor, and nutritional content of the legumes. Through extensive experimental data, the new standard has identified this "golden balance point."

4. Alignment with International Standards

During the drafting process, the new standard fully referenced international norms such as the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) "General Standard for Irradiated Foods" and ISO 14470, ensuring mutual recognition of China's irradiated legume products in international trade.

What Is the Significance of This Standard?

The release of GB/T 18525.1-2026 is not merely an update of a technical document — it carries profound practical significance:

For the industry: It provides scientific and authoritative technical basis for legume processing enterprises, promotes the standardized application of irradiation technology, and helps reduce post-harvest losses. China suffers staggering grain losses each year due to pest infestation and mold, and irradiation technology is an effective means of reducing these losses.

For consumers: Higher standards mean safer food. Full-process control, precise dose requirements, and strict record-keeping and traceability all add multiple "safety locks" to the quality and safety of legumes and their products.

For international trade: Alignment with international standards facilitates the "going global" of China's legume products and enhances their international competitiveness.

Final Thoughts

From 2001 to 2026, the iteration of a standard reflects the leap in China's agricultural product processing technology and demonstrates an increasingly rigorous pursuit of food safety.

Next time you see legume products labeled "irradiated" on a supermarket shelf, there's no need to panic. It means they have undergone scientific sterilization and pest control treatment, preserving natural nutrition and flavor as much as possible while ensuring safety. Scientific understanding and rational choice are the attitudes modern consumers should adopt.

Standard implementation date: December 1, 2026. Let us look forward to safer and higher-quality legume products on our dining tables!