Consumer Organization Member Barred from Touring Food Irradiation Facility

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Consumer Organization Barred from Touring Food Irradiation FacilityWith Other Conference AttendeesCHICAGO - Organizers of an international conference on food irradiationbarred a Public Citizen staff member from touring an irradiationfacility today, despite the fact that the tour was a conferenceactivity. A staff member of the national consumer advocacy group hasparticipated in other parts of the conference, which was organized byMichigan State University.The tour of SureBeam Corp.'s irradiation facility in the Chicago suburbof Glendale Heights was included on the official agenda of the FirstWorld Congress on Food Irradiation. Promotional materials for theconference specifically included consumer groups in "Who Should Attend."But when a Public Citizen staff member signed up for the event, he wastold he could not attend. Organizers told him this was due to "requestsfor increased security and corporate confidentiality" by SureBeam."Suggesting that we are security threat is ridiculous and insulting,"said Wenonah Hauter, director of Public Citizen's Critical Mass Energyand Environment Program. "If this facility cannot withstand publicscrutiny, what are they hiding? This smacks of discrimination."In their promotional materials, SureBeam often tells consumers thattheir process is no more involved than a microwave they would use intheir home. "If the process is as harmless as they say, why can't we gosee it?" Hauter said.Irradiation uses ionizing radiation that alters the molecular structureof food in an attempt to kill pathogens and insects. The process candestroy nutrients, change the taste, smell and appearance of food, andproduce new chemical compounds, some of which have been found to promotecancer development and cause genetic and cellular damage in rats andhuman cells.SureBeam, a company spun off from a San Diego-based defense contractor,has struggled to promote its technology to consumers and governmentregulators and has lost $113 million since 1997. SureBeam has been anoutspoken advocate for labeling irradiated foods as "pasteurized,"although that is a distinctly different process that uses rapid heatingand cooling to partially sterilize liquid products, namely milk. Thecompany also has tried to mislead consumers by comparing irradiation tomicrowaving.In 2001, SureBeam began building its Glendale Heights irradiationfacility without receiving necessary air permits from the state. Thecompany applied for a permit to release ozone into the air only afterthe state agency ordered it to do so, under pressure from a localcitizens group.###Public Citizen is a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C.that advocates for consumer protection, and for government and corporateaccountability. Please visit www.citizen.org/cmep