Since the 1970s, NASA has been making astronaut's food safer by irradiating it. But for many people, irradiation - a process that destroys harmful microorganisms - still evokes images of food that glows in the dark. As of February 22, 2000 the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has allowed the irradiation of meat and meat products such as ground beef, steaks, poultry and pork chops to reduce or eliminate potentially dangerous bacteria. Get ready, irradiated beef is coming soon to a store near you. WHAT IS IRRADIATION?
Food irradiation is the process of treating food with ionizing radiation to reduce or eliminate microscopic bacteria, parasites and fungi on meat and poultry. Irradiation is currently the only known method to eliminate deadly E. coli O157:H7 bacteria in raw meat. The technology also significantly reduces levels of Listeria, Salmonella, and Campylobacter, which currently cause thousands of people to die each year. Irradiation also destroys insects, fungi or bacteria that cause human disease or cause food to spoil.
DOES IRRADIATION MAKE FOOD RADIOACTIVE?
No. The energy used in food irradiation is not strong enough to cause food to become radioactive. Foods are exposed to low levels of radiation after being packaged. This radiation kills most of the bacteria that can cause disease and leaves them unable to replicate. Most of the energy simply passes through the food, similar to the way microwaves pass through food, leaving no residue. The small amount of energy that does not pass through the food is negligible and is retained as heat. The food does not become radioactive.
SUPPORTERS The safety of irradiated foods has been endorsed by the World Health Organization, the United Nations, the U.S. Department of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the American Medical Association. They site an overwhelming body of scientific evidence which demonstrates that irradiation does not change the nutritional value of food, nor does it make the food unsafe to eat. The Food and Drug Administration has found food irradiation to be a safe and effective means of preservation that extends shelf life, destroys microorganisms, slows the rapid ripening of harvested produce, and reduces the need for some harmful pesticides. The American Dietetic Association has officially endorsed irradiation as one way to enhance the safety and quality of the food supply.
CONSUMER CONCERNS
Irradiation is not without its critics. Concerns range from the notion that irradiated foods are less nutritious than other foods to fears that they become radioactive and contain cancer-causing compounds. Michael Jacobson, Executive Director of Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), has issued a statement against irradiation. Among his concerns are that irradiation does not address the issue of filth on meat from unsanitary farms and processing plants, irradiation is expensive (irradiated meat is expected to cost an extra three to five cents per pound), and can result in taste and nutritional changes to red meat. While Jacobson admits that food irradiation may be safe to consumers, he argues that many less drastic measures - such as steam pasteurization - should be used first in the battle against food-borne diseases.
HOW DOES IRRADIATION AFFECT FOODS?
So what does happen to food when it's irradiated? Much of the early concern focused on byproducts called "radiolytic products". These radiolytic products are so minor that they are measured in parts per billion and can only be detected with sensitive laboratory equipment. Extensive research shows no evidence that irradiated foods present any increased risk of exposure to harmful substances over conventionally processed foods.
Because irradiation does not notably raise the temperature of the food being processed, nutrient losses are small. However, decreases in thiamin, vitamin A, and vitamin E content of foods have been detected after irradiation. This reduction is not significant and comparable to losses which occur with canning or other food processing techniques. There are no significant changes in the proteins, fats, or carbohydrates. Irradiation can cause a slight off-taste, discoloration, and changes in texture. However, most people cannot detect any significant changes in flavor or texture. In fact, the changes induced by irradiation are so minimal that it is not easy to determine whether or not a food has been irradiated.
IS IRRADIATION SAFE?
Yes, irradiated foods are wholesome and nutritious. In general, the irradiation process produces very little chemical change in food. None of the changes known to occur have been found to be harmful or dangerous. However, the American Dietetic Association cautions that consumers need to continue to store, handle, prepare, and cook irradiated meat and poultry as they would other raw products because some bacteria are not destroyed by irradiation. You will still need to refrigerate meat properly to prevent surviving bacteria from multiplying. Also, while irradiation kills most of the pathogens that are in the food at the time, it doesn't prevent new ones from getting into it. Always maintain proper storage and preparation of food after treatment to avoid cross-contamination.
FOOD LABELS
If you're worried about eating irradiated products, you'll still have a choice. By law all irradiated foods must be labeled with the international "radura" symbol for irradiation: Simple green petals (representing the food) in a broken circle (representing the rays from the energy source). This symbol must be accompanied by the words, "Treated by Irradiation" or "Treated with Radiation."
