irradiated milk

[Kjell Johansen <kjell.johansen@wepco.com>]

In reply to Rodney Bauman about tricking the public, I would say that it
is all in the proper use of the English language with respect to
"non-nulcear" and "non-radioactive."  Unless the linear accelerator
induces a nuclear transformation in the material being irradiated, then
non-nuclear does equal non-radioactive.  Non-radioactive means that
there are no radioactive atoms produced in the milk or that the milk is
not treated with a radioactive substance.  However, it is treated with
radiation.  Once the radiation is turned off, there is no more
radiation, we all know but which the public may not know.  So if we are
to educate the public, let's keep our language clear and precise.  Until
some lay people learn that you do not become radioactive by being
exposed to radiation we will always have exposure "problems."  However,
I think the milk irradiation people also may be worried that somehow the
public will believe that irradiation will change the composition of milk
by generating harmful byproducts in addition to the possibility in the
public's misunderstanding that radioactive milk may be produced. We all
know what caused Spider Man's powers and the 50-foot woman in the old
sci-fi movie.  Misconseptions die hard.  It's like the old worry about
pasteurization robbing the milk of its vitality which caused some states
to label milk PASTEURIZED with big, black letters at the turn of the
century.

Kjell Johansen, Ph.D.
kjell.johansen@wepco.com
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