Irradiating Food
Irradiating fruits, vegetables, pork and chicken to kill insects and bacteria
has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration over the past decade or
so. Irradiation of other meats, such as beef and lamb, is being reviewed.
Federal approval does not require that industry adopt the process, and few food
processors presently offer irradiated products. Market studies
have shown that many consumers are afraid that eating irradiated foods may cause
cancer, despite scientific studies that prove the safety of treated foods. Some
people argue that more severe government inspection, higher food-safety
standards, and more careful-preparation practices by consumers are all that is
needed to ensure that food is safe. Consequently, companies currently see no
need to spend millions of dollars outfitting processing plants with the
equipment necessary for a process that very few shoppers are in favor
of. All supermarkets that sell irradiated food must label the
food either directly on the packaging, or, in the case of bulk items like fruits
and vegetables, by placing a sign nearby. There is no requirement for the
labeling of irradiated food served by chain restaurants or hospitals that buy
directly from distributors, nor any regulations for products that contain
irradiated ingredients. Presently, the FDA allows food to be
treated with three types of radiation—gamma rays, high-energy electrons, and X
rays—and sets limits on doses, depending on the type of food. The principle is
that the dose to be used for a certain type of food should not exceed the amount
that is sufficient to kill most harmful insects and bacteria present in it.
Different types of food, because of their molecular compositions, may require
different doses of radiation. The passage tells us that FDA approves irradiating food to some extent
but irradiated food is not widely accepted.