USDA approves irradiation of raw beef, pork, lamb

[Susan Gawarecki <loc@icx.net>]

USDA approves irradiation of raw beef, pork, lamb 

By PHILIP BRASHER 

WASHINGTON (December 14, 1999 8:27 p.m. EST
http://www.nandotimes.com) - Processors will be allowed to irradiate
raw beef, pork and lamb to eliminate deadly bacteria and other
organisms, but products will be required to carry labels informing
shoppers of the treatment, the government said Tuesday. 

"While there is no single silver bullet to cure all food safety
problems, irradiation has been shown to be both safe and
effective," Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman said. 

Labels on irradiated products, including sausage made from
irradiated beef or pork, will have to carry the international symbol
of irradiation, known as a "radura," and a statement that they
were treated. The symbol, colored green on a white background,
depicts two leaves resting in a semicircle, with a green dot
above it beneath a broken-lined semicircle. 

Irradiation, which already was approved for poultry, is the only
known method to eliminate deadly E. coli O157:H7 bacteria in raw
meat and also can significantly reduce levels of other pathogens,
including listeria, salmonella and campylobacter. 

Irradiation had to be approved by both USDA, which is
responsible for ensuring the safety of meat, and the Food and
Drug Administration, which has authority over food additives. The
FDA approved irradiation in 1997. 

The agencies are also being asked to include in the approved
group ready-to-eat products such as hot dogs and luncheon
meats. 

Irradiation is seldom used for poultry, but E. coli is more common
in beef. Initially, irradiated meat is likely to be most popular with
hospitals and nursing homes, because of the danger E. coli poses
to patients with weakened immune systems, said Carol Tucker
Foreman, a distinguished fellow with the Consumer Federation of
America. 

"I don't expect you're going to get it for sale at McDonald's any
time soon. It takes a while to build the facilities," she said. 

Several companies, including ConAgra Inc., one of the nation's
biggest meatpackers, have said they plan to use irradiation. But
processors say the government needs to undertake a public
education campaign to convince consumers that irradiation is
safe. 

"If consumers embrace the product, the industry is in the
business of meeting consumer demand. And we will respond with
more irradiated products," said J. Patrick Boyle, president of the
American Meat Institute. 

E. coli O157 can cause serious illness and sometimes death,
especially in children and the elderly. An estimated 73,480 people
are infected every year, and about 600 cases are fatal,
according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention. 

Tim Willard, a spokesman for the National Food Processors
Association, said the USDA decision was "long overdue." 
-- 
==================================================
Susan L. Gawarecki, Ph.D., Executive Director
Oak Ridge Reservation Local Oversight Committee, Inc.
136 S Illinois Ave, Ste 208, Oak Ridge, TN 37830
Please note new area code:
Phone (865) 483-1333; Fax (865) 482-6572; E-mail loc@icx.net
OCTOBER INSIGHTS CAN BE FOUND AT: http://www.local-oversight.org
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