Food irradiation; dangers of organic foods

[Steven Dapra <sjd@iolnm.net>]

Nov. 21

	Irradiated milk was the subject of several recent RADSAFE postings.  One
posting wryly recommended "Show the consumer the graphic potential effects
of non-irradiated food products (i.e, large color closeups of flukes,
parasites and harmful bacteria).  . . .  Then let the consumer decide
between natural,wholesome, untampered with comestibles and the artificially
enhanced stuff."

	Organically produced foods are generally perceived as being 'natural and
wholesome,' and this reminded me of an article I had read about the dangers
of organic foods, in particular their tendency to harbor E. coli O157:H7 or
Salmonella.  I wanted to make a posting earlier, was temporarily stymied by
a bad citation, but have all the germane material now.  This posting will
eventually tie back into food irradiation.

	An article in the Journal of the American Medical Association
[277(2):97-98; 1-8-97] quotes Dr. Robert Tauxe, chief of the CDC's
foodborne and diarrheal diseases branch, as saying, " 'Organic' means a
food is grown in animal manure."  The article goes on to point out that
studies have found that "E coli can survive in cow manure for 70 days and
can multiply in foods grown with manure, unless heat or additives such as
salt or preservatives are used to kill the microbes."

	David Avery of the Hudson Institute reported on Tauxe's comments in
"American Outlook" (Fall, 1998) published by the Hudson Institute
<www.hudson.org/>.  He also reports that organic farming believers flew
into a rage over Tauxe's comments and flooded the CDC with angry calls.
According to Avery, the CDC "has refused to grant interviews on the
subject."  (Avery's article, "The Hidden Dangers in Organic Foods" was
followed by an article "Organics in Denial," (Spring 1999) describing the
organic attack on Avery.  It also reports on Consumers Union's role in
manufacturing a pesticide scare, and gives the proper citation to the JAMA
article quoting Dr. Tauxe - the citation in the Fall 1998 issue of American
Outlook is incorrect.)  These two articles are available on-line.  Go to
the Hudson Institute's home page, click on American Outlook magazine, and
then on the specific issues.

	Although the CDC is remaining silent, an article in JAMA
[281(2):158-162; 1-13-99] about an outbreak of Salmonella (carried on
alfalfa sprouts) briefly alludes to the manure problem (p. 161-62), saying,
"[c]rops can be easily contaminated with . . . animal fertilizers used in
previous growing seasons . . .."  The article ends by saying that chemical
methods are unsuccessful for decontaminating alfalfa seeds; and,
"[I]rradiation is currently being evaluated as an adjunct seed
decontamination method."

 	In a curious (and perhaps accidental) admission the EarthSave web page
acknowledges twice in an article on factory farming that animal manure can
be unsafe, although the article goes on to recommend eating organically
produced foods. (<http://www.earthsave.org/new/news/factfarm.htm>)

	To return to food irradiation, the initial JAMA article (1-8-97) quotes
Michael T. Osterholm, Ph. D., chief of the acute disease epidemiology
section at the Minnesota Department of Health, as endorsing irradiation:
"The foodborne outbreaks we've been hearing about are going to occur over
and over again, and the best chance we have [to prevent them] is food
irradiation."  "The fact that we haven't made it a priority in this country
absolutely amazes me."  (p. 98).

	The American Dietetic Association has endorsed food irradiation.  Its
statement on irradiation is quite informative, includes 27 references, and
will be found at <www.eatright.org/airradi.html>.

Steven Dapra
Albuquerque, NM

sjd@iolnm.net



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