RE: Radiation Symbol on Irradiated Food????

[Franz Schoenhofer <schoenho@via.at>]

At 11:38 01.03.1999 -0600, you wrote:
>Tom,
>
>A quick clarification here.  There is a symbol that is used on "irradiated"
>or "treated by radiation" foods that is called the Radura symbol.  I am not
>sure if this is the international symbol, but I think it is.  Has there now
>been a change proposing that the yellow and magenta trifoil is to be used??
>
>Thanks,
>Jon Dillon
>...............................

Yes, this seems to be quite an international symbol, I am not sure, but it
might have been created by the WHO and/or IAEA. I suppose that the
mentioning of the radiation symbol must be an error of the News Agency. It
would not make any sense, because the irradiated product is not radioactive
and it does not pose any radiation risk. 



>> The cost of treating beef would include between two and six cents 
>> a pound for the equipment and labeling, amounting to between $35 
>> and $105 million for irradiating 1.7 billion pounds of ground beef, the 
>> USDA said.  
>> 
>> Those expenses would be more than offset by fewer food poisoning 
>> cases, which mean reduced costs for doctor bills and lost work.  

......................................................

I cannot accept this reasoning. If irradiation really would be the solution
for all problems, then the companies would earn a lot of money by not
having to call their salmonella infested products back and to destroy it -
with other words, the products should become cheaper. Not to mention
lawsuits by affected customers, which could cost the producers fortunes. 

Franz







Franz Schoenhofer
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Office:
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