Food Irradiation

[TERESA G HEFLEY <THEFLEY@pantex.com>]

The Texas Panhandle Chapter of the Health Physics Society in
conjunction with the Pantex Plant in Amarillo, TX and Texas A & M
University is currently supporting an educational outreach program on
food irradiation. Children are being taught food safety facts and learning
about the available options for food preservation, one being irradiation.  
The Pantex Plant has irradiated potatoes and strawberries as
educational experiments (not consumption), so that the children can view
first hand the benefits of irradiated food.  

With the help of Dr. Elsa Murano, associate professor at Texas A & M
University, a Texas 4-H group have researched this process and do
public educational outreach demonstrations on irradiated food.

Dr. Murano's E-mail Address is:
eamurano@tamu.edu
I'm sure she can address any food irradiation questions you may have. 
She has also written a book called "FOOD IRRADIATION".

NASA has been irradiating food for our astronauts for years.  Is there
any doubt that our space program would allow such if it were
detrimental to them?   

It is a shame that the USA is behind the times compared to 37 other
countries that already use such technology and have for years.  I
commend Hormel for considering taking that giant step toward providing
us with a safe food product.

Teresa Hefley, NRRPT
Pantex Plant
Amarillo, TX
thefley@pantex.com