Irradiated Food Gets Consumer Approval

摘要

Food irradiation is a technology that has been proven safe by 40 years of research worldwide. It has been approved for use in more than 30 countries, including the United States, for elimination or reduction of bacterial pathogens in poul-try. Last summer, a petition was submitted to the Food and Drug Administration requesting approval of irradiation for beef and other red meats. There is no doubt that irradiation can improve the safety of such products by killing microorganisms like E. coli O157-.H7 and that it can extend their shelf-life. The questions remaining on the mind of the industry are whether the public will accept irradiated products and whether the cost of such technology will outweigh the benefits.