Transcript American Nuclear Society : PI : Grassroots Communication

Clear thinking on Nuclear:
Food irradiation
1. Irradiation can reduce food borne illness
by killing harmful bacteria
2. It can reduce food lost to insect and
rodent infestation
3. It is a proven, cost effective option for
increasing usable food supplies
Reduce food borne illness
•
•
•
Treating raw meat and poultry with irradiation
could reduce or eliminate disease-causing
bacteria commonly found such as E. coli
O157:H7, Salmonella, and Campylobacter.
Unlike traditional washing, irradiation kills
bacteria throughout the food, not just on the
surface, and both fresh and frozen foods can
be treated.
Packaged food can be sterilized, enhancing its
safety for people with weakened or deficient
immune systems
Reduce food lost to insect and
rodent infestation
•
•
•
Irradiation is one of very few viable
alternatives to methyl bromide, an ozonedepleting chemical used to fumigate grains
against insects.
It is an internationally approved method of
eliminating insects like fruit flies from fresh
tropical fruits - like Hawaiian papayas.
Unlike chemical treatments, irradiation leaves
no residue on the food.
Increase shelf life by slowing
ripening and spoilage
•
•
•
Strawberries treated with a low dose of radiation will
not mold for up to two weeks even without
refrigeration
Irradiated potatoes, yams and onions can be stored
for an extended period even if not refrigerated, which
increases their availability in underdeveloped
countries.
Bananas, mangoes and papayas often last two to
three times as long after irradiation.
Increases usable food
supplies
•
•
•
•
Proven, effective option for increasing usable food supplies
Most spices sold wholesale in the United States are already
irradiated to eliminate the need for chemical fumigation, and
American astronauts have eaten irradiated foods on space
missions since the 1970’s.
As much as 25% of the world’s food production is lost to insects,
bacteria and rodents after harvesting.
The Centers for Disease Control estimates that known
pathogens, most of which can be reduced or eliminated by
irradiation treatment, cause 14 million illnesses, 60,000
hospitalizations, and 1,800 deaths each year in the United
States, a country with one of the safest food supply systems in
the world.
ANS Resources
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
CDC FAQ’s about Irradiation
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/foodirradiation
.htm
University of Wisconsin Food Irradiation Group
http://uw-food-irradiation.engr.wisc.edu/
Food Safety Research Information Office (FSRIO a unit of the
USDA) Food Irradiation information
http://www.nal.usda.gov/fsrio/topics/tpfdirrad.htm
The European Commission on Food Safety Food Irradiation
web page
http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/sfp/fi_index_en.html