Washington - Most consumer and industry participants in a recent roundtable discussion on food irradiation accepted the conclusion of the Food and Drug Administration that irradiation is a safe process and effective against E. coli 0157 H:7 and other harmful bacteria responsible for recent, highly publicized outbreaks of foodborne illness.
According to a summary of the roundtable, most participants also favored clear labeling -- including the term "irradiation" -- as a way to inform consumers about irradiation at the retail level. This was in part a reaction to some consumer research showing substantial acceptance of irradiated foods, especially when consumers are educated about the technology.
There also were disagreements between consumer and industry representatives in the meeting, which ended without a formal consensus.
Public Voice executive director Arthur S. Jaeger said promoting a dialogue between those on different sides of the irradiation debate was a positive step. "This remains a difficult issue," Jaeger said. "Clearly, food irradiation is a contentious subject with a segment of consumers who express genuine concerns about various aspects of the technology.
"At the same time," Jaeger said, "irradiation appears to hold promise for reducing illness and deaths associated with foodborne illness."
(INSIGHTS Note: Public Voice is one of the most vocal -- even radical -- consumer activists groups in the U.S. They have repeatedly slammed the meat industry in the past and likely will continue to do so. They favor as much government regulation of the meat industry as possible, despite the fact that the meat and poultry industry already is the second most regulated industry in the U.S. The nuclear industry is first.)
The roundtable included many of the top government and academic experts on irradiation, representatives of consumer organizations with an interest in irradiation and representatives of the food and irradiation industries. It was convened by Public Voice for Food and Health Policy, the National Food Processors Association, and the International Food Information Council.
While the invitation-only meeting produced no formal consensus, there were several points of agreement among most participants, both consumer and industry. These included:
-- the need for effective processing and handling of food before and after irradiation
-- the negligible impact of FDA-approved uses of irradiation on the nutritional value and taste of foods
-- the value of long-term studies on any effects of eating irradiated food
-- the need to address worker safety and environmental concerns related to irradiation
-- the need for additional consumer research and education about irradiation
Irradiation technology exposes foods to radiation -- either from cobalt-60, cesium-137, a beam of electrons, or x-rays -- to eliminate harmful bacteria and keep foods fresh longer, among other purposes. While the technology has been available for a number of years, the volume of food being irradiated remains small, in part because of perceived consumer concerns over safety and the environment.
Irradiation received renewed attention as a way to reduce food poisoning after last summer's E. coli 0157 H:7 outbreak in ground beef and the Food and Drug Administration's December approval of irradiation for red meat. That renewed attention prompted Public Voice to organize the roundtable to initiate a dialogue between consumers and industry and perhaps achieve consensus on some issues.
There was unanimous agreement at the roundtable that irradiation does not eliminate the need for -- and might actually increase the importance of -- such things as effective processing controls along the production stream and good sanitation before irradiation. Likewise, there was agreement that irradiation would not eliminate the need for safe handling -- including proper refrigeration and handwashing -- after irradiation.
A key point for consumer representatives was the continuing need for strong government food safety inspection programs. These participants said irradiation should not be used to justify cuts in government inspection. Consumer representatives called on the food industry to speak out in favor of a strong federal inspection system.
Potential Uses Include Food Safety, Fumigant Substitute
Roundtable participants expressed the most interest in using irradiation as a food safety tool and as a substitute for certain pesticides and fumigants. Most also accepted FDA's determinations that irradiation at approved doses is safe for foods including meat, poultry, produce and spices. At least one public health official called for greatly expanded use of irradiation as a way to reduce foodborne illness. Two academic critics, however, questioned whether research has conclusively established the safety of irradiated foods.
Some consumer representatives also were concerned about any potential safety problems from long-term consumption of irradiated foods. They encouraged scientists to continue studying irradiation and asked that USDA and FDA consider some form of post- marketing surveillance of irradiated foods. Some also expressed concerns about vitamin depletion caused by irradiation especially if widespread irradiation of fruits and vegetables is contemplated.
Labeling was a key point discussed at the roundtable. Current FDA rules require retail packaging of irradiated foods to include a symbol -- called the radura -- and the statement "treated with radiation" or "treated by irradiation." The Agriculture Department has similar rules for poultry and will issue a labeling proposal soon on meat.
Most participants in the roundtable who addressed the issue felt labeling "should be required to inform those who seek to purchase irradiated foods as well as for those who want to avoid them," according to the summary of the meeting. Most participants also felt that labeling should include the term "irradiation," since this is the commonly recognized term for the process.
At least one industry group, however, questioned the legal and scientific basis for requiring labeling of irradiated foods and contended current labeling requirements deter some consumers from purchasing irradiated products.
Some industry participants in the roundtable also favored making the current labeling requirements "less threatening" by adding such words as "pasteurization" or "cold pasteurization."
Research Shows Substantial Acceptance, But a Third with 'Serious Concerns'
Industry and academic participants offered consumer research studies showing substantial acceptance of irradiated food, especially when consumers are educated about the benefits of the technology. Nonetheless, industry polls also indicated up to a third of all consumers have "serious concerns" about irradiation. Consumers who reject irradiation include those with anti-nuclear views and those who are distrustful of the government, the roundtable was told.
Consumer participants felt strongly that it is up to industry -- not government -- to educate consumers about irradiation. They argued that irradiation is just one of several technologies that can provide an added measure of food safety for certain foods and that the government should not use limited resources to promote one technology over another.
A taste test of irradiated foods conducted as part of the roundtable found no significant differences in the taste, look and odor of irradiated versus non-irradiated ground beef. Nineteen of approximately 40 roundtable participants took part in the test.
Public Voice's Jaeger noted that attempting to bridge gaps between consumers and industry on difficult food issues is a traditional role of Public Voice. That made Public Voice uniquely qualified to convene the roundtable, he said.
What Jeager did NOT point out was that this his group's so-called "traditional role" is a self-appointed role and that the meat industry has remained extremely high on their personal "hit list" for more than a decade.
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