Re: Food Irradiation

[harland@ccmail.orst.edu (Daniel L. Harlan)]

     I would like to expand on this question:
     What dose would be required to destroy E. coli in beef?  What type of 
     irradiation would you use: Co-60?  What would be a practical activity 
     and irradiation time to kill E. coli in a meat production facility?
     What changes could you expect in the beaf after processing: taste, 
     nutritional value, appearance, storage requirements...
     
     I obviously don't have much of an education in food irradiation, but I 
     find it an increasingly important topic because of the health risk 
     when food is not handled very carefully, from the time it's first 
     processed to storage to the time it's cooked and served to you on a 
     plate.  Not to mention the expense passed on to consumers from short 
     shelf life and expensive food refrigeration.
     
     Anyone out there feel like educating us on what differences we would 
     expect in our food (not our politics) if it were possible to irradiate 
     various foods in the U.S.?
     
     Dan Harlan
     harland@ccmail.orst.edu


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Food Irradiation
Author:  Michael Burba <Michael.Burba@UC.Edu> at Internet_Gateway
Date:    8/20/97 9:14 AM


Could a food irradiator have been used to destroy the E. coli 
bacteria in the hamburger from Hudson?
     
Standard disclaimer...my own thoughts.
     
Michael J. Burba
Assistant RSO
University of Cincinnati
Michael.Burba@UC.EDU