Re: Food irradiation

[StevenFrey@aol.com]

Individuals like the following gentleman are certainly welcome to express 
their opinions....but we ought to insist that only facts be used in attempts 
to persuade the public in matters concerning health. Assuming other Radsafers 
will identify the glaring factual errors regarding his statements about 
radiobiological effects, I'd like to point out that the compound of nitrogen 
used as a food additive is nitrite, not nitrate (Does the individual even 
know the difference?). And, 'nutient (?) content of enzymes'? This kind of 
bogus, buzzwordery balderdash is what all too often fuels such individuals 
into believing that they really don't need a legitimate education to be 
experts. 

Also, note the broadening of the message to utilize anecdotal equating of the 
'lousy' taste of irradiated foods (his opinion) with the 'disgusting' taste 
(his opinion again) of 'non-organic food' (a self-contradictory phrase if 
ever there was one). How can he, or that matter, anyone prove this claim 
about the taste of irradiated foods, other than letting the consumer pass 
judgment in the marketplace? He can't. Yet the individual claims expertise, 
indeed superpowers, in knowing how we all perceive the taste of foods. Thus, 
he implies that he has superior judgment (and therefore, the moral 
highground). The nerve!

Sir, have you even actually tasted irradiated food? I doubt it.

Until you do, your claims about the taste of irradiated foods are without 
merit, and come close to being irresponsible.

Steve Frey

n a message dated 4/2/00 10:15:03 AM Pacific Daylight Time, 
Magnu96196@aol.com writes:

<< Irradiated food does come with a cost--------just like adding nitrates or 
 other preservatives to foods.   Don't think preservative methods or 
 insecticides change the tastes of foods---------compare an organically grown 
 tomato to one grown with fertilizers and pesticides----------most notice a 
 big difference. >>
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