GMA Extols Irradiation’s Virtues for Food Safety

The Grocery Manufacturers Association has been at pains to reassure consumers that it does not consider irradiation a replacement for current food safety procedures, but it could be incorporated into the food safety system to minimize risk of food-borne illness.

The GMA has released a science policy paper, entitled Food Irradiation: A Guide for Consumers, Policymakers and the Media, which has been released at a time of heightened food industry and consumer concern regarding the safety of the U.S. food supply. It hopes this will convince the public of the safety of irradiated food.

The report includes a review of available irradiation techniques, how they work to kill pathogens including salmonella, E. coli and listeria, and current U.S. government standards on what it considers to be safe irradiation dosage levels for food.

FDA recently published a final rule allowing the use of irradiation for iceberg lettuce and fresh spinach; the technology can already be used with other foods such as spices, meat, poultry and shellfish.

Chief science officer for GMA Robert Brackett said: “Food irradiation is just one more tool that industry will have at its disposal to provide consumers with safe food products; however, the adoption of this technology cannot in any way serve as a substitute for industry adherence to good manufacturer, agricultural and sanitary practices that are so essential to maintaining a safe food supply.”

The paper also argues that the FDA, the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American Medical Association have all agreed on the safety of food irradiation at approved doses, following 50 years of research.

Source: FoodNavigator-USA.com