LONDON — A British consumer watchdog group is warning shoppers to be on the lookout for irradiated food products on the shelves of grocery stores.

In an article published in Food Magazine, published by the Food Commission, author Kath Dalmeny urges readers to be aware of irradiated food which might be labelled as ‘electronically pasteurized’ or ‘ion-beam sterilized.”

‘Ten years ago, consumers voted with their purses and rejected irradiated food,” author Kath Dalmeny writes in the article. ‘The industry must not be allowed to sneak their unwanted products onto supermarket shelves in disguise.”

The process of irradiation, which kills microorganisms in food, was promoted in the 1980s. However, the Food Commission is concerned that the process will encourage poor hygiene and reduce the food’s nutritional value, or as the article states, “the food industry is keen on irradiation because it can extend the shelf-life of produce and cover up bad food or hygiene practices.”