000269 Some Stores to Get Irradiated Meat

Washington - Beef that is irradiated to kill deadly bacteria will begin appearing in some stores as early as March as processors start testing the public's reaction to the treated meat.

New rules that allow the irradiation of raw beef, pork and lamb take effect today.

“We view this as a consumer choice issue. The consumer will ultimately determine the success,” said Gary Mickelson, a spokesman for the nation's biggest beef processor, IBP Inc., which plans to begin test-marketing irradiated meat sometime this year.

No. 2 Excel Corp. plans to start shipping treated beef to its food service customers this week.

Initially, irradiated meat is likely to be most popular with hospitals and nursing homes, because of the danger E. coli poses to patients with weakened immune systems. But its use there could generate interest from consumers, said Tim Willard, a spokesman for the National Food Processors Association.

Christine Bruhn, director of the Center for Consumer Research at the University of California-Davis, said the public is ready to try the meat.

“Most people are ready. They are sick and tired of hearing of cases of food- borne outbreaks,” said Bruhn.

The meat is expected to cost an extra three to five cents per pound but the price is likely to drop as it becomes more widely available.

Irradiation has long been allowed for poultry, as well as fruits, vegetables and spices. It is seldom used on poultry, partly because the primary pathogens aren't as dangerous as E. coli, and chicken processors haven't thought it was worth the expense, say industry experts. One big recall for E. coli, however, can devastate a meatpacker financially.

The irradiation is done by three methods - gamma rays, X-rays, or electron beams. In addition to eliminating E. coli, the treatment can significantly reduce levels of other pathogens, including listeria, salmonella and campylobacter. The food isn't radioactive, and while there is a slight loss of nutrients, the food is largely unchanged, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

FDA also is considering allowing irradiation for hot dogs, luncheon meats and other ready-to-eat products. Kraft Foods Inc. and a major irradiation firm, Titan Corp., annoucned an agreement to work on using the technology on processed foods.

Special labels are required, carrying the international symbol of irradiation, known as a “radura,” and a statement that they were treated. The symbol, colored green on a white background, depicts two leaves resting in a semicircle, with a green dot above it beneath a broken-lined semicircle.

E. coli O157 can cause serious illness and sometimes death, especially in children and the elderly. An estimated 73,480 people are infected every year, and about 600 cases are fatal, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“This is an extra layer of food safety,” said Mark Klein, a spokesman for Excel, which blasts beef carcasses with steam to kill E. coli. “We definitely view it as an additional tool and not a replacement for other technologies or food safety programs.”

A smaller, Florida-based processer, Colorado Boxed Beef Co., plans to sell irradiated meat through grocery chains in the Southeast.

The company had to recall 359,000 pounds beef products in November 1998 because of possible contamination with the deadly E. coli bacteria, and Florida officials have been promoting irradiation heavily.

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