food irradiation related question

["Thatcher, Drew" <dht0303@hub.doh.wa.gov>]

An individual against food irridation and I have been trading "letters to 
the editor" in the Seattle PI.  Her latest letter makes the statement 
that since E. coli is the cause of not just meat contamination but a 
number of fruits and vegetables (throught runoff, manure as fertilizer, 
cross contamination, etc.).  As a result,  meat irradiation alone will 
not solve the answer and a larger solution needs to be determined.   The 
individual has mentioned a researcher from the University of Georgia who 
believes the answer may be in adding a benign, competitive bacteria to 
cattle feed to crowd out the detrimental bacteria.

Does anyone have any further information about such a process?  

Sincerely,
Andrew H. Thatcher, MSHP, CHP
Washington Department of Health
360-586-8715 voice
360-753-1496 fax
dht0303@hub.doh.wa.gov