Re: food irradiation

[Bernard L Cohen <blc+@pitt.edu>]

> 
> An organized action to support a company with telephone calls is not the way
> scientific experts usually choose. To make it clear: My personal opinion is
> that everything has been done to ensure that radiation treatment of food
> does not pose any harm. The IAEA and the WHO have published enough arguments
> and research to support this view. I have never read any scientific article
> to confirm any health problems associated with radiation treatment, I have
> always heard about "confirmation of hazards" from several groups, but I have
> never obtained any reference to this "scientific work". So my position is
> clear,  b u t  I think also that it must be the right of everybody to
> decide, not to consume irradiated food!!! Whatever the reasons might be. The
> question seems to be the labelling of irradiated food. If it is not
> labelled, then the consumer has no choice. If it is labelled, some people
> would decide to preferentially buy it, some will refuse.

---Labelling is *not* the issue. Everyone agrees that irradiated food
should be labelled and the logo has been chosen for it and has been used.

> The question, which in my opinion is the most crucial in our Western world,
> is simply: Do we  n e e d   irradiated food? Is it necessary to extend shelf
> life? We have so excellent distribution chains, where food is always kept at
> low temperature, we have excellent logistics. I do not believe that
> extension of shelf life is an argument which could be used in the Western
> world 

---As one example, we could get fresh tropical fruits. There are many
others. In stores where irradiated and non-irradiated foods are on
display, the irradiated always looks and tastes much better

> - for instance the Finnish government has explicitely allowed application of
> food irradiation with regard to spices.

---This has been done in many countries, including U.S., for many years


 Is it advisable to treat poultry
> with radiation to kill salmonella? It might be in cases with heavy
> infestion, but even in this case it would be advisable to strenghthen
> hygiene instead of irradiating.

---With the best sanitation, about half of all poultry contains dangerous
levels. Why not use irradiation?
> 
> Franz
> Schoenhofer
> Habichergasse 31/7
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>