Don't X-Ray my Veggies

January 29, 2009

This article came to me from another group...

Don't X-ray My Veggies

Though not exactly an outcry, there were grumbles and groans when the US Food

and Drug Administration (FDA) ruled that food processors could irradiate fresh

or bagged spinach and iceberg lettuce as a way to kill bacterial contaminants

such as E. Coli and Listeria. The reasoning for irradiation is twofold: One,

irradiation would kill the microorganisms that lead to spoilage, so the produce

stays fresher, longer -- and second, killing the bacteria might potentially

reduce headline-making outbreaks of foodborne illness. Given that the FDA has

been known for having made some... shall we say, perplexing.. . decisions, the

question is whether irradiated food is a positive safety ruling or yet another

well-intentioned protection attempt that does more harm than good?

MORE ON IRRADIATION

Let's start with the basics. Irradiation is the process of exposing food to

ionizing energy (gamma rays, electron beams, or X-rays). These pulses of energy

destroy bacteria on the food by disrupting its DNA, though they do not make the

food radioactive per se.

You may be surprised to hear that you've likely been ingesting irradiated food

for years. The FDA approved irradiation of various meats back in the 1990s

(Omaha Steaks, for instance, uses the technology for its gourmet burgers) and

the majority of dried spices, in particular, are irradiated to kill microbes

that can shorten shelf life. So it's not new. But some new variables do come

into play when vegetables are irradiated, and that's what has consumer advocates

up in arms. Their point -- irradiation destroys nutrients, making foods less

healthy... and we don't know what other health problems may arise in the future,

due to processes that we are only beginning to use without evidence showing

safety over long periods of time.

OVERLOOKING THE ISSUES

To better understand the problem, I contacted Bill Freese, science policy

analyst for the Center for Food Safety in Washington, DC. He and other critics

say the ruling is fraught with imperfections, which ironically don't make sense

from either a health or business standpoint.. .

Reduced nutrients. Much like cooking, irradiation can lead to nutrient loss.

Freese doesn't believe the FDA takes this concern seriously. " They approved

irradiation of spinach and iceberg lettuce at up to 4 kiloGray (4 kGy), yet the

studies reviewed by the FDA found that spinach loses nearly all of its ascorbic

acid (Vitamin C) when irradiated with just 1 kGy, and 12% of its folate at 2.5

kGy. Separate research on lettuce found a 24% to 53% lower ascorbic acid

(Vitamin C) level at just 1 kGy. "

Doesn't kill bacteria completely. Irradiation at the low levels used in produce

kills most but not all bacteria. For instance, the Clostridium bacterium that

causes botulism is insensitive to radiation. And it doesn't kill viruses, like

norovirus, which can cause viral gastroenteritis (aka the stomach flu).

Freshness. This process adds another step -- possibly a lengthy one -- to the

journey from field to table. Produce would have to be transported to facilities

equipped to irradiate food before it could be delivered to stores, which will

add time to the shipping process.

Unique radiolytic products and free radicals. Irradiation of lettuce and spinach

generates free radicals from water in the leafy greens. These can degrade the

structural integrity of the leaves, making them limp, and may also cause other

undesirable changes. Freese acknowledges, however, that research into these

particular problems is inconclusive.

Is it worth the cost? Then, of course, comes the question of cost-benefit.

According to Trevor V. Suslow, PhD, researcher at the University of California,

Davis, growers aren't likely to want to pay the additional costs involved with

irradiating produce. The truth is, contamination is very rare, though it does

grab headlines since it can be fatal. " If you evaluate the frequency or

likelihood of pathogen contamination versus the cost of running everything

through a treatment facility, along with the limitations to shelf life in the

real world, I think you can see where this doesn't make sense, " he said.

Mislabeling. Currently, all irradiated foods need to carry the " Radura " label

and the words " treated with radiation " or " treated by irradiation. " The food

industry is pushing to change this for lettuce and spinach because they fear

consumers won't buy products so labeled. Their hope is to use a more familiar

term, pasteurized, which would appear on labels as " cold pasteurization " or

" electronic pasteurization. " This request has not been granted -- but many are

concerned that if it is, it would be a misrepresentation and deceitful to the

public.

WHAT IT ALL MEANS

Net-net, for the moment it appears unlikely the market will be flooded with

these products -- and second, it's not clearly dangerous, based on what we know

thus far. Irradiation reduces health benefits of produce, but it doesn't appear

to render it " harmful. "

In my view, though, the best solution is to avoid the issue altogether. I

personally find that farmers' markets are a great way to buy produce, because I

know it's fresh and I get to talk with the grower face to face -- and that

relationship gives me peace of mind every time I set the table.

Source(s):

Trevor V. Suslow, PhD, extension research specialist, University of California,

Davis.

Bill Freese, science policy analyst, Center for Food Safety, Washington, DC

January 31, 2009

Does any one know -

Are organic veggies irradiated too?

Thanks!

Tracy )

, robin koloms <rkoloms wrote:

>

> This article came to me from another group...

>

> Don't X-ray My Veggies

>

> Though not exactly an outcry, there were grumbles and groans when

the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ruled that food processors

could irradiate fresh or bagged spinach and iceberg lettuce as a way

to kill bacterial contaminants such as E. Coli and Listeria. The

reasoning for irradiation is twofold: One, irradiation would kill the

microorganisms that lead to spoilage, so the produce stays fresher,

longer -- and second, killing the bacteria might potentially reduce

headline-making outbreaks of foodborne illness. Given that the FDA has

been known for having made some... shall we say, perplexing.. .

decisions, the question is whether irradiated food is a positive

safety ruling or yet another well-intentioned protection attempt that

does more harm than good?

>

> MORE ON IRRADIATION

>

> Let's start with the basics. Irradiation is the process of exposing

food to ionizing energy (gamma rays, electron beams, or X-rays). These

pulses of energy destroy bacteria on the food by disrupting its DNA,

though they do not make the food radioactive per se.

> You may be surprised to hear that you've likely been ingesting

irradiated food for years. The FDA approved irradiation of various

meats back in the 1990s (Omaha Steaks, for instance, uses the

technology for its gourmet burgers) and the majority of dried spices,

in particular, are irradiated to kill microbes that can shorten shelf

life. So it's not new. But some new variables do come into play when

vegetables are irradiated, and that's what has consumer advocates up

in arms. Their point -- irradiation destroys nutrients, making foods

less healthy... and we don't know what other health problems may arise

in the future, due to processes that we are only beginning to use

without evidence showing safety over long periods of time.

>

> OVERLOOKING THE ISSUES

>

> To better understand the problem, I contacted Bill Freese, science

policy analyst for the Center for Food Safety in Washington, DC. He

and other critics say the ruling is fraught with imperfections, which

ironically don't make sense from either a health or business

standpoint.. .

>

> Reduced nutrients. Much like cooking, irradiation can lead to

nutrient loss. Freese doesn't believe the FDA takes this concern

seriously. " They approved irradiation of spinach and iceberg lettuce

at up to 4 kiloGray (4 kGy), yet the studies reviewed by the FDA found

that spinach loses nearly all of its ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) when

irradiated with just 1 kGy, and 12% of its folate at 2.5 kGy. Separate

research on lettuce found a 24% to 53% lower ascorbic acid (Vitamin C)

level at just 1 kGy. "

> Doesn't kill bacteria completely. Irradiation at the low levels used

in produce kills most but not all bacteria. For instance, the

Clostridium bacterium that causes botulism is insensitive to

radiation. And it doesn't kill viruses, like norovirus, which can

cause viral gastroenteritis (aka the stomach flu).

> Freshness. This process adds another step -- possibly a lengthy one

-- to the journey from field to table. Produce would have to be

transported to facilities equipped to irradiate food before it could

be delivered to stores, which will add time to the shipping process.

> Unique radiolytic products and free radicals. Irradiation of lettuce

and spinach generates free radicals from water in the leafy greens.

These can degrade the structural integrity of the leaves, making them

limp, and may also cause other undesirable changes. Freese

acknowledges, however, that research into these particular problems is

inconclusive.

> Is it worth the cost? Then, of course, comes the question of

cost-benefit. According to Trevor V. Suslow, PhD, researcher at the

University of California, Davis, growers aren't likely to want to pay

the additional costs involved with irradiating produce. The truth is,

contamination is very rare, though it does grab headlines since it can

be fatal. " If you evaluate the frequency or likelihood of pathogen

contamination versus the cost of running everything through a

treatment facility, along with the limitations to shelf life in the

real world, I think you can see where this doesn't make sense, " he said.

> Mislabeling. Currently, all irradiated foods need to carry the

" Radura " label and the words " treated with radiation " or " treated by

irradiation. " The food industry is pushing to change this for lettuce

and spinach because they fear consumers won't buy products so labeled.

Their hope is to use a more familiar term, pasteurized, which would

appear on labels as " cold pasteurization " or " electronic

pasteurization. " This request has not been granted -- but many are

concerned that if it is, it would be a misrepresentation and deceitful

to the public.

>

> WHAT IT ALL MEANS

>

> Net-net, for the moment it appears unlikely the market will be

flooded with these products -- and second, it's not clearly dangerous,

based on what we know thus far. Irradiation reduces health benefits of

produce, but it doesn't appear to render it " harmful. "

>

> In my view, though, the best solution is to avoid the issue

altogether. I personally find that farmers' markets are a great way to

buy produce, because I know it's fresh and I get to talk with the

grower face to face -- and that relationship gives me peace of mind

every time I set the table.

>

> Source(s):

> Trevor V. Suslow, PhD, extension research specialist, University of

California, Davis.

> Bill Freese, science policy analyst, Center for Food Safety,

Washington, DC

>

January 31, 2009

While radiation is not considered to be an organic standard, it is certainly

possible that companies like General Mills (Muir Glen) don't care.

--- On Fri, 1/30/09, tbozek77 <tbozek77 wrote:

tbozek77 <tbozek77

Re: Don't X-Ray my Veggies

Friday, January 30, 2009, 11:35 PM

Does any one know -

Are organic veggies irradiated too?

Thanks!

Tracy )

@gro ups.com, robin koloms <rkoloms > wrote: