| After many long years of research into the | | | | facilitating the shipment of food products into |
| safety and feasibility of food irradiation, it is a | | | | Canada. But only certain foods are permitted by |
| preservation method whose "time may have | | | | Health Canada to be irradiated, namely: potatoes, |
| come." The method is comparable to traditional | | | | onions, wheat flour, whole wheat flour, whole or |
| food preservation methods such as canning, | | | | ground spices and seasonings. |
| freezing and fumigation, albeit with some | | | | Public acceptance lags behind |
| advantages. Food irradiation can be made safe | | | | In many countries the public remains skeptical of |
| and effective by carefully controlling the radiation | | | | food irradiation, often because of a poor |
| dose. Both Canada and the U.S. have established | | | | understanding of its value in providing a safe food |
| strict regulations for all aspects of food irradiation | | | | supply, relative to other processing methods. In a |
| - from the design of irradiation facilities to the | | | | similar fashion, when milk pasteurization was first |
| type and source of radiation and the dosage used | | | | introduced, many consumers vehemently |
| - to ensure that foods preserved by irradiation | | | | objected thinking that its goodness "would be |
| remain wholesome and safe to eat. Irradiated | | | | destroyed by heating." Yet food irradiation is |
| foods offered for sale must be labeled according | | | | designed to erradicate microbes and |
| to the Canadian Food and Drug Act, and are | | | | food-poisoning organisms that contaminate many |
| allowed only a specified radiation dose. | | | | foods and endanger those who eat them. The |
| How is food irradiation done? | | | | World Health Organization (WHO) calls food |
| The food to be irradiated is exposed to | | | | irradiation "a sound food processing technology |
| eletromagnetic energy from radioactive cobalt-60. | | | | which offers consumers food products with an |
| The gamma-rays emitted by cobalt-60 are | | | | added margin of safety." |
| absorbed by the food, effectively destroying | | | | Anti-nuclear activists in the U.S. have caused much |
| microorganisms, killing insects and hindering | | | | upheaval and delayed the opening of a food |
| sprouting. In practice, a conveyor system moves | | | | irradiation plant in Florida, with sensational and |
| the food to be irradiated through a chamber | | | | adverse press coverage. Many news reports |
| containing the radiation source. The amount of | | | | choose to ignore the full weight of scientific |
| ionizing energy absorbed by any particular food | | | | evidence in support of food irradiation, impeding |
| depends on its distance from the source and the | | | | rather than advancing progress in food safety. |
| time of exposure and is carefully controlled so | | | | There remains a large body of expert opinion, |
| that food remains wholesome, with no changes to | | | | including scientific evidence, which maintains that |
| its taste, colour or appearance. | | | | irradiation is harmful because it not only removes |
| Some benefits of food irradiation | | | | the harmful organisms but the beneficial |
| Radiation can considerably extend the shelf life of | | | | organisms as well, and may in fact destroy some |
| foods by reducing or killing spoilage | | | | of the nutritional values of the foods thus |
| microorganisms - such as bacteria, molds and | | | | irradiated. While I maintain the position that the |
| fungi. For instance, irradiation destroys | | | | anti-nuclear activists are 100% dead wrong in their |
| microorganisms such as Salmonella and | | | | actions, their opinion is 100% |
| Campylobacter particularly rampant in meat, | | | | right on — in my opinion, after |
| poultry and seafood. It also kills insects in grains | | | | carefully considering all the evidence pro and con, |
| and spices, and hinders the undesirable sprouting | | | | my personal opinion is: irradiation, at this stage of |
| of vegetables such as potatoes, onions and garlic | | | | development, is not safe, nor is it safe to |
| lengthening their use for public consumption. But, | | | | consume foods which have been irradiated as a |
| while irradiation destroys microorganisms, it does | | | | preservation method. |
| not usually destroy bacterial spores (for instance | | | | In fact, our bodies require many of the |
| botulinum spores). Therefore, proper food handling | | | | micro-organisms which are killed via irradiation just |
| guidelines remain mandatory. | | | | in order to digest and absorb the nutritional values |
| One distinct advantage of food irradiation over | | | | of foods which are irradiated. I recommend that, |
| more traditional methods of food processing is a | | | | if your diet consists of any amount of irradiated |
| longer shelf life for fresh foods, allowing wider | | | | foods, you research Greens products in |
| distribution of high-quality, nondecaying fruits and | | | | general and that you seriously consider adding a |
| vegetables. For example, irradiation can prolong | | | | Greens product to your daily diet. I |
| the shelf life of strawbernes for up to 15 days. It | | | | recommend the newest, and only 100% |
| can also extend the shelf life of various frozen | | | | vegetarian, native and natural greens product on |
| foods. Given the current ban on several | | | | the market today -- Bio88+ -- which is found |
| health-damaging chemical fumigants, insecticides | | | | here. |
| and fungicides, irradiation is a useful method for | | | | |