Irradiation Only Part of Food Safety Solution

Lloyd S. Parker 09/17/2008 10:49

We can't inspect our way to food safety. Also, we can't test our way to food safety. The sampling errors are too great. We need an effective kill-step in every food with a significant risk of bacterial contamination. Irradiation is the only effective choice for many ready-to-eat foods. We could, in the alternative, accept the high costs in illness (over 78 million cases), and death (5,000 annually). This understates chronic illness due to bacteria such as ulcers, heart disease, colon cancer, etc. In the last 20 years, organizations like the Center for Science in the Public Interest, have been a strong advocate for cleaner farms. In that time, the number of illnesses and deaths attributed to foodborne illness has remained unchanged. Those with AIDS, cancer, diabetes, the young and elderly and others immune-suppressed should have the right to protect their health vulnerabilities and buy irradiated food. As a cancer survivor, I would like to avoid avoidable foodborne illness. Irradiation will replace carcinogens, like chlorine, currently used to wash produce and some insecticides. The FDA has repeatedly reported people will buy irradiated food if educated about irradiation. Mr. Farrar's inaccurate statement that the public will not accept food irradiation, the only effective method for processing in some instances, shows a disregard for the public health. Individuals like this should not be employed in the FDA branch of the California Department of Public Health, since they obviously have a political agenda.