RE: New York Times - Red Meat Irradiation Rules

["Scott Flowerday" <Scott.Flowerday@tdh.state.tx.us>]

I am not in disagreement with food irradiation, but I think you have 
missed the point on this.  If food irradiation becomes a means to 
lower basic sanitary conditions then it should be opposed.  If 
sanitary conditions are maintained at the current level is food 
irradiation cost effective?  If sanitary conditions were raised 
(heaven forbid we hold an industry to high standards) is food 
irradiation warranted at all?
Don't be so quick to condemn Ms.Foreman, maybe we should first examine 
the motives of those that support food irradiation.

This is clearly my opinion.

> I am certainly not a microbiologist, but it seems to me that the mechanism
> for building resistance to an antibiotic (or pesticide) is a chemical
> mechanism, not a radiological one.  No antibiotic kills every singe
> bacterium, and the few that survive have the biochemistry to resist that
> antibiotic in the future.  It seems to me that if this were to happen with
> radiation, one radiates a little more or longer.
> 
> Also, Ms. Foreman's comments seem to be typical of those of critics who are
> reaching and stretching for reasons to oppose food irradiation.
> 
> Clearly only my own opinion.
> 
> Ruth F. Weiner, Ph. D.
> Sandia National Laboratories 
> MS 0718, POB 5800
> Albuquerque, NM 87185-0718
> 505-844-4791; fax 505-844-0244
> rfweine@sandia.gov
> 
Scott D. Flowerday
Emergency Response and Investigation Branch
Bureau of Radiation Control
(512) 834-6688
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